Book 3: Raging Flame
by Flipdarkfuture95
Summary: Korra is reeling after the devastation inflicted upon Republic City, and the harm her friends have gone through. She needs to protect them, and herself from the many enemies revealing themselves. And as the world starts to unravel and tensions rise amid the nations, she'll learn the true meaning of what it is to be the Avatar. (Criticism welcome) Book 3 of 4 of Changing Element
1. The Fire's Shadow, and the Wounded City

**A/N**

**Here I am! Book 3, Raging Flame is now ready for action! This is the one where things start to look up for Korra and the Krew. As ever I can't thank you guys enough when you decide to take the time and drop a review, so keep 'em coming! It keeps me informed ad lets me know what you think of the story!**

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火

Book 3

**Raging Flame**

Chapter 1

**The Fire's Shadow**

* * *

_Republic City_.

It was a grey-streaked sky that hung over the city, the clouds matted together in a almost seamless carpet which would easily dull the sun's light once it rose higher in the sky as the morning dragged on. The city below wasn't looking much better, smoke wreathing many of its districts now that the fires had finally burnt out and the rain had finally stopped.

Korra gritted her teeth, feeling a flutter in her head and swaying a little as she pulled the blob away from the downtrodden man sitting on the wooden crate in front of her, guiding the stream back into her hip flask. She shook her head, trying to stay focused and fight the lightheadedness.

The man looked up at her with awe in his eyes as he worked up his sleeve and patted his arm down for the burns that were previously there. He grinned and whooped for joy as he stood up, grabbing her hand. "Thank you Avatar! Thank you!"

She nodded as he left the alley for the streetside, and quickly braced herself against the nearby wall. She stared at her shaking hands and growled. "I'm not done yet."

Nearby, a tall waterbender in a thick trenchcoat had just finished applying his own healing to a group of children and their guardians. He smiled down at his latest patient, a little girl with bright-green eyes clutching onto a stuffed moose-lion. "All finished up. You're so brave."

As she nodded and followed the rest of her group out of the alley, he got to his feet and rubbed his palms. Boto looked over his shoulder at Korra, and came over with a slight smile. "Korra? You okay?"

She looked up at her childhood friend, and tried her hardest to stop the shaking. "Yeah. Still good."

Boto crossed his arms, not saying anything for a few seconds. "Uh huh. You're about to drop." Korra went to shake her head and push off the wall, only to stumble a little. He grabbed her shoulder to stop her from slipping and gave her a smirk. "Look, I have to go to the Station now-"

"I'll stay." she muttered, moving away from him and on her own two feet.

"But you're running yourself ragged. Come to the station, there's probably a spare cot you can rest up in or-"

"I'll. Stay. I'm the Avatar."

He knew he couldn't change her mind if he wanted to. With a sigh he nodded. "Pace yourself, alright?" Boto patted her shoulder as series of heavy pants breaths floated down the alley towards them. Naga padded into view, coming closer and closer until she stopped in front of them, turning to sniff at the motorcycle leaning against the nearby wall.

Korra nodded, moving forwards and clambering onto Naga's saddle without a second thought.

She knocked her leg's against the polar-bear dog's sides and urged her out of the alley and into the damaged streets.

Underneath she could feel Naga's muscles work tirelessly, able to watch her powerful shoulders rise up and down out of the corner of her eye. The polar-bear dog heaved and panted as she carried Korra down the usually car-filled streets, now devoid and ghostly.

Korra had her eyes forward. Only looking forward. Nowhere else. Just fixating on what was in front of her.

"Avatar!"

She quickly pulled on the reins, urging Naga to skid to a halt in the middle of the street and throw a curious glance up at her. A man, wearing a dusty brown jacket and baggy pants with holes all over them ran up to them. He whitened a little at being so close to something such as Naga, but didn't shy away as he quickly took off his threadbare bowler hat and ran a shaky hand through his hair. "We need your help, in that store over there- my daughter, she's trapped under some rubble. We aren't benders-"

"No worries-" she flashed him a confident smile, filing away her own doubts and insecurities as she hopped down and followed him across the street to a smashed in storefront, the once thick and sturdy crossbeams holding up the roof inside now cracked and broken beyond repair, what little of them remained being the only thing able to hold up the sagging roof.

"Where is she?" the man glanced nervously at her controlled voice, before nodding and ducking underneath bookcase that had fallen on the entrance.

Korra crouched and squeezed through the gap after him, another bombed-out wreck of a room greeting her eyes as she straightened. She covered her mouth with her arm as she moved forwards, coughing from the dust-choked air as she looked for the man in the grey gloom. He had already sprinted towards a tangled wreck with a woman crouching next to it, her mouth covered by a blue cloth, embroidered with swirling symbols and threads as she gently whispered and held onto a hand poking out of the wreckage of bookcases and rubble.

"Can you get her out of there, Avatar?" The woman addressed her without turning her head, going straight to the point.

"Of course." Korra nodded and knelt down in front of the dark gap in the wreckage, peering into it and catching a glimpse of a tear-stained cheek. She glanced at the woman. She nodded. Korra reached her hand in and gently touched the child's forearm. "I'm getting you of there." Closing her eyes she retracted her hand, only opening them when she was looking down at her lap and placing her hands on the cracked and broken floor. She held her breath and pushed downwards, then slid her hands forward towards the wreckage. The floor rumbled and the wreckage shook, but held as a column rose inside the dark space and grew forwards straight towards Korra.

It punched through the rubble stopping the child from crawling out of there, and as the column collapsed into dust her mother quickly reached her hands in and pulled her out of there. Her relieved sobs reached Korra's ears as she shuffled backwards, getting to her feet and dusting her palms on her furskirt as the man dropped to his knees and wrapped both his wife and daughter in his arms.

"Thank you, thank you!" the man repeated over and over breathlessly.

She waved him off, feeling neither happy nor rejoiceful. Just tired. "No need." she nodded at him, when he stepped forward and clasped her wrists, bowing profusely. "My name is Raiko, if you need anything at all, Lady Avatar, I'm at your service. My family is in your debt."

Korra managed a smile, clasping her hands and bowing in return. "It's no sweat, Raiko." She turned, quickly exiting the store, ducking under the blockage and walking across the street to where Naga waited, seated on her back haunches.

The polar-bear dog whined at her and tilted her head as she stood up on all of her legs, ready for Korra to hop on. The girl shook her head in response as she settled in the saddle and grabbed the reins. "Come on girl. More to go."

Naga barked and padded at first before breaking into a sprint, her pants and heaves quickly returning.

And so it went on. Every street she turned into bore no small amount of scars from the fires the Agni Kai's unleashed a few weeks ago, the people she ran into would need her help, and with no hesitation she would stop and do her best for them. They would thank her, and she would ride off again.

It was better than the alternative. It was better than coming to terms with the fact that she had let down the entire city by not focusing on helping rebuild or rescue, but instead retreating inwards and shutting herself off after what Telei had done to Tenzin.

And then what happened afterwards. Between her and Tai.

Naga's steady breathing lagged, breaking the thoughts she kept returning to as she glanced down at saw that the polar-bear's pink tongue was lolling out of the side of her mouth, lapping at the air to cool herself down. Korra spotted a line of people slowly moving down the footpath nearby, she guided Naga around the corner into the road they all walked into, slowing Naga down and walking down it until she spotted a small building nearby, surrounded by Republic City's much taller buildings.

The smell of cooked sea prunes wafted over to her, the salty and mild aroma making her stomach growl in response for a full couple of seconds. She reached a hand down to rub her belly, and shared a glance with Naga, who was beginning to salivate at the smell.

"Only for a minute." Naga barked in response as Korra slid down her side, holding onto the reins and guiding her towards the diner. People milled around its front, holding bowls while talking in small groups, or sitting on the ground on whatever piece of rubble or section of curb they could find.

"...Still hearing those strange noises coming from the tunnels. Some rumbling too."

"Not surprising. City's been through a lot the past couple of weeks. Could be construction crews doing fix-up jobs."

The talk quietened when she approached, changing to hushed whispers and respectful glances in a instant.

She didn't like how the mood changed so quickly. People began calling out among the groups, urging them to move out of the way and allow her to reach the front counter of the small diner. A clear path now stood between her and the lady serving from a giant steaming pot. "Uh, no, I can wait like everybody else-"

Korra stopped herself and sighed when she looked at the way Naga was constantly licking her chops and straining against the reins. She cast her gaze downwards. "Thank you." she muttered over another growl from her stomach.

Just as she approached the front counter and the line of stools up against it she heard clanking, and glanced to see that it was Nisha and Hei. "Avatar, you've been out here non-stop for the past couple of days. Orders come from Commander Beifong herself: get something to eat."

"Some rest couldn't go astray either, if you don't mind me saying." Hei chimed in with a nervous smile.

Korra blinked and rubbed at her eyes, reminded of the tireless nights and constant running around she had been doing for the last week or so. Anything to fill the void and stop herself from thinking about what happened. She finally heaved a sigh and nodded at the two of them. They held their hands out, moving apart and indicating a water tower sitting squat around the back of the diner and the trough nearby.

She ran her hand through Naga's fur as she handed the reins to them. "Make sure she doesn't drink all of it."

They both nodded, leading Naga around the side of the diner.

Korra rolled her shoulders, fighting the urge to stretch as she sat on one of the stools, hearing a squeak from underneath her. Without meaning to she began to tip forward, resting her cheek on the counter and wrapping her arms.

Sitting still was the last thing she wanted to do.

"What'll it be, Avatar?" Korra opened her eyes and looked up, a jolt going through her at seeing the woman from the park, and also the same one who spoke out against Tarrlok's laws a year back.

"Uh. Got any sea prunes?" Her stomach rumbled at the mere mention of food, let alone her favorite.

The woman smiled and nodded. "Plenty of 'em. Won't be a sec." Korra could see into the entirety of the small building as the stout woman stepped back in, passing by a younger woman with the same blue eyes carrying a stack of bowls in her arms and saying something to her. The young woman glanced at Korra and her mouth hung open for a second before she quickly busied herself in her work.

Korra went back to resting her cheek on the wooden counter, folding her arms underneath her chin with a sigh. Before her thoughts could go somewhere she didn't want, she felt a tugging on the hem of her furskirt.

She spun the stool around, blinking twice at the dirt-encrusted kid smiling up at her. "Lun?" she remembered him from the arena during the restoration ceremony. He was the first person on the stage she restored bending to. She looked around for that woman he ran to afterwards. "What are you doing here?"

"Helping out." the kid grinned as he clambered onto the stool next to her, a hand keeping his beret steady. He looked at her with bright golden eyes. "Just like you."

Despite her general fatigue and her slow thoughts, she managed to eke out a smile at his enthusiasm. "I haven't seen you since the ceremony! How's your bending?" she brightened up a little, managing to forget her troubles. "Can you show me?"

"Easy!" Lun opened his palm and held it front of her, sticking his tongue in concentration. He grunted and a series of sparks crackled in the air above his hand. With a big breath he furrowed his eyebrows, and grinned up at her when a strong flame came to life in his palm. "Now you have to do it, Korra!"

With a chuckle she nodded eagerly, glad to lose herself in doing something as simple as sparking a flame. It was easy guiding the warm flowing energy into her palm, pooling there for a spit-second before she focused on making a single spark.

A series of sparks haphazardly snapped into existence above her palm, but no flame erupted into existence.

Korra felt a cold sweat as she stared at her palm, then looked at the confused look coming from the kid. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm just warming up."

"Here you go, Avatar." the water-tribe woman placed a brown bag in front of her, before glancing at Lun. "Hey, would you quit hounding her? You've got dishes to clean."

Lun nodded, waving at Korra before clambering over the counter and falling on the other side with a thud. "Oof!"

Korra still stared at her palm before she noticed the bag sitting there.

"Everything alright?"

"Oh. Yes. I've got to get going now." Her thoughts raced to work out what happened as she moved away from the counter with the bag in hand and a worried expression. But nothing came to mind.

* * *

_Police Headquarters._

"Yes. Yes. We'll send someone over, just hold on and give us your street name- Hello?"

Mako watched as the receptionist behind the lobby's counter shook the reciever and tried to redial the number, her face a little pale and grim.

"Connections are down again! Did you get the street name?" The woman next to her came over with a pad and pencil.

"Jing. Jing, Jing, Jing - Jing something! At least a hundred streets share that name! This is such a damn mess! How can so many people be missing?"

"There' nothing you can do, Mi. Just keep taking the calls, I'll radio to the search squads."

The firebender shook his head with a sigh as he stepped off the wall, heading past the waiting area and down the hallway to the elevator. Everywhere he went it was the same. People working hard to do what they could for the civilians affected by the attack, only to fail because of a faulty wire in the overloaded phone system. Ever since getting here from his apartment, there had at least six truckloads of officers departing in that hour alone.

He quickly sidestepped out of the way of a fully armored and geared squad of metalbenders, their ordered but fast passage throwing noise all over the hallway as they passed through. Once they were gone, and once he silently wished them good luck.

Rather than take the elevator he veered for the emergency stairwell along side it, knowing that at any moment there'd be a gang of mechanics or a squad of metalbenders in need of quick transportation. Taking the stairs was no drama for him.

Jogging up them two at a time he reached the mid-flight before the second floor, stopping for a moment and looking up to see Boto leaning over the railing and looking down at him, his hands clasped.

He kept his sights on the tall waterbender as he went up the last flight, stopping once he reached the top. Mako folded his arms at his partner, catching the dark bags under his blue eyes. "How many now?"

Boto smirked and clapped his hands together before holding them up. "Still more than I can count. Katara'd be proud. And Korra... she's just been working herself ragged trying to heal everyone she can find. It's... kind of incredible, but she's dead on her feet."

"Hmm." Mako couldn't say he really wanted to hear anything to do with her.

Boto continued on. "I tried to get her to stop but she wouldn't let me." he heaved a sigh at the expression on Mako, knowing the history between the two of them.

Mako nodded, thinking about the encounter he had with the Agni Kai's self-proclaimed leader. "So Saikhan, Beifong and the Commander? And why us in particular?"

The tall waterbender gave him a wry look. "Because out of the majority of the Police Force, we happen to have... deeper ties with the Triads than most. And big reasons to take them down." He looked down and nodded before looking back up. "Saikhan's finally healed up enough to be back here. Just waiting on you."

Boto pushed away from the railing and led Mako down the hallway, his boots echoing on the deep black polished floors. "Look," Boto stopped and turned to him. ", I know its been a while since you were given leave, and that's all done now. But you don't need to throw yourself back into this so soon."

"I can't protect Bolin by sitting on my ass, Boto. I'm okay."

Boto nodded, about to say something but thinking better of it. He stopped at the door in the middle of the T junction, glancing through the frosted glass pane for a few seconds before placing his hand on the handle.

Words floated to Mako as he followed Boto in. "...Desk job, reports. All _over again_. I thought I was done with all this!"

"One of the curses of being Chief of Police, Saikhan." He heard Lin Beifong say over Commander Makei's chuckling and Saikhan's grumbling sigh.

The two of them moved past the sitting area at the front of the room, stopping in front of his desk and snapping off salutes to the three of them.

"Ah, there you two are." Makei said as he glanced down at Saikhan and tapped one of the sheets in front of him.

Saikhan sighed, scratching a itch near the edge of his bandaged head. He muttered something and looked up at them. Particularly at Mako. "Ready to get back to work?"

"Yes, sir. Gladly."

He nodded, standing up from the desk and running a hand down his face. "Good. It's been nothing but chaos in the past few days down here. You two have proven fairly capable at your jobs, which is why I've singled you out." He turned to the two of them as Makei and Lin shared a glance. "I'll be blunt: the Agni Kais have gone quiet in the past weeks since their stunt at the arena, and we have no idea why."

"None of them have been spotted at all?" Boto frowned. "I mean, I know how stretched we've become trying to cover the entire city, but none at all?" He flashed a look at Mako, who had gone quiet.

"It isn't like them to waste a opportunity like this." Lin added, placing her hands on the desk and grimacing. "We're weak and scattered and they know it. We need to find out where and how they've gone to ground."

"It's probably connected with the number of missing persons being reported lately." Mako glanced at Boto, wondering what exactly he was getting at.

The waterbender had a grim look on him as everyone considered the implications of what he just said.

"It's not something I want to consider." Lin muttered, crossing her arms.

"Neither do I." Saikhan sighed, before nodding and looking back down at the reports and sheets infesting his desk. "Alright. Dismissed, you two."

Mako and Boto returned the nod and left the office.

Closing the door behind him, Mako turned to Boto. "Missing persons?"

Boto didn't respond immediately, walking further into the hallway before turning to him. "It's a possibility. Many of these reports are only just coming in now, and a majority of them involve people who were hospitalized during the Agni Kai attack."

"Definitely not good."

"Not by a long shot. Which leads me to something else." Boto leveled suspicious eyes at him, tinged with concern. "Why didn't you tell them about the Agni Kai's kidnapping you? Have you told anyone yet? Korra? Asami?"

"No." Mako's golden eyes darkened as he shook his head. "And no-one needs to know."

Korra was definitely out of the question.

* * *

_Tui Road, Republic City._

Pabu chittered and clambered around her shoulders, bringing a smile to the Eska's usually controlled features. She sat on a bench overlooking Yue Bay, taking in the view while behind her Bolin argued back and forth on the curb behind them.

She scratched Pabu under his chin, feeling a series of taps through the thick fabric of her robes as the ferret's foot tapped up and down like a blur on her shoulder. A pang of sadness hit her, knowing what would be waiting once her father had decided to bring them back to the Tribe.

But she was part of the royal family. And she would do what was told of her. As she should.

Eska glanced at her protector as she leaned over the railing, staring at the grey foggy waters in silence. Reaching up a hand in case Pabu slipped she stood up and approached the firebender, quietly wondering if she had done something wrong. "Sensha. Are you alright?"

"Huh-" Her bodyguard looked over her shoulder, a smile quickly surfacing as she nodded. "Yes. Of course. Just hoping Bolin can hurry up and stop arguing with your brother."

"Unfortunately you'd be better off waiting for a iceberg to melt."

Sensha smirked in amusement. "Maybe."

"This is Republic City! You've gotta see the sights!"

"Do those sights include being ambushed by a gang of thugs? Out of the question!"

"Come on! You're supposed to be having a good time, seeing the sights, doing the rounds, that kind of thing. Live it up, Water Tribe!"

"Is that discrimination?"

"No! I-"

Eska and Sensha shared a glance as they both turned to see Bolin and Desna walking towards them. "Brother, I'm sure he didn't mean it."

"Mean what, It wasn't anything? He's overreacting!" Bolin got in first, his arms crossed and expression pleading with Eska to help him smooth things out.

"As representative of my people, It is my duty to tell you this: I am not overreacting."

Eska rolled her eyes. "Brother... I'm a representative too. And I'm saying that it was just a friendly mistake. I'm sure Bolin meant nothing by it." She shot her twin a look that could crack ice, the look that usually got him to do what she wanted.

"I-" Desna rubbed his elbow and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before looking at Bolin. "I apologise. I did overreact-"

"Brother, why don't you walk with Sensha to find a restaurant or kiosk where we could purchase something to eat?"

Desna stopped and looked at her. "But father-"

"I know what father said."

"Yeah, I'm your bodyguard, so I need to be near you-"

"Sensha. You are my bodyguard. Yes. And I would like you to go with Desna."

For a moment, Sensha had a irritated look in her eyes as she looked between both of them. She relented and nodded, joining Desna and walking on ahead.

"Sensha won't be happy." Bolin watched the firebender walk away, and sighed. He hadn't forgotten how she saved him.

Eska grabbed his hand and nodded silently, gently tugging him into walking by her side.

He found a flush coming to his cheeks when he glanced at her, quickly finding a way to stop it from showing too much. "So... why'd you send them off?"

To his surprise, the usually shy princess gave him a wry smirk. "I wanted to walk with you. And brother needs to be around someone who is not me."

"Ah." Bolin didn't find anything wrong at all with this. Although as he found himself unable to stop sending glances her way, he fell a little quiet, knowing that he might not be able to something like this again. "Hey, can I ask you something, Eska?"

She dipped her head. "Of course."

"What's Kerisa like?" He reddened as she stared at him, pushing his fingertips together as his nervousness got the better of him. "Well- well I - what I meant is if you kind of like him, in any way. Heh."

"He is to be my betrothed." Eska stated with no emotion whatsoever, looking straight ahead and not at Bolin. She squinted and arched a eyebrow and before he knew it she was moving on ahead without him at a brisk pace.

"Eska? Wait up!"

She stopped and glanced over her shoulder before pointing further down the footpath, where Desna was arguing with someone wearing a distinctive purple shoulder cape. "What is it now?" she muttered as Bolin caught up.

The earthbender took in the sight of the water triber's dashing good locks, the fashionable moustache on his lip and the rogueish way he held himself as he held Sensha's hand like it was delicate as a flower. "Verick!" he called out, getting his old friend's attention.

Verick looked up at the sound, peering over Sensha's shoulder at Bolin. A grin grew on him. He quickly gave Sensha a smirk before slipping past her to greet Bolin. "Haven't seen you in a while, Bo'!"

Behind him, Desna seemed set to go off. "-uncouth, slack-jawed, Southern Peasa-"

"Woah, just take a deep breath, hey?" Sensha managed to cut him off before the Northern prince could get anymore worked up.

"What are you doing here?" Bolin asked as he clasped Verick's hand in a firm grip before letting it go. "Aren't you working with Asami?"

"Sure am. But uh... I'm just taking a little time off after being stuck in the workshop for so long trying to get her latest idea off the ground. I'm being literal. he scratched a spot on his shoulder. "And unofficially... I'm chasing up some guys for a few favors they owe me." Verick's usually jovial features grew serious when he looked Bolin straight in the eye. "Appreciate it if you keep it on the low. Especially around Asami."

"Yeah. Yeah, no worries." Bolin said, a little spooked. He blinked and glanced at Eska, who had a stern look.

"You mean criminals if I'm not mistaken."

The industrialist nodded at her. "I'm not gonna lie about it, especially to a high and mighty royal such as yourself, princess. Yes, criminals."

The general ruckus of the streetside presided over the silence that surfaced between them.

Verick's smile returned as he grasped Bolin's shoulder. "Always good to see you, man." He turned to Eska and bowed. "Princess." Finally he turned around, coming face to face with Sensha, her arms folded and eyebrow arched after hearing what he said. But she didn't protest when he took her hand again, something which Bolin completely failed to miss. And focused on a little more than he wanted to. "Goodbye."

With that, the industrialist straightened out his shoulder-cloak and left them, walking across the street and making his way down the dockside footpath.

* * *

_Air Temple Island._

Tenzin put his hand on the doorframe, bracing himself in case he slipped and fell. He brushed a hand down his face and sighed, ignoring the ever-present pain in his hip and instead smiling at his family as they were seated inside the dining room, showing that he was alright.

Shifting how his palm sat on the bulbous head of the cane he swung it forwards in time with his injured side, slowly hobbling his way into the room and towards the dining table, noticing that two sitting mats were unoccupied and one was missing from its spot altogether. With a quiet sigh he move past the table behind Jinora, Ikki and Meelo, both of who kept a careful eye on him as he made his way to the side where Pema sat with Rohan.

"Honey." Pema reached his hand up to his, he nodded and took it, letting her guide him towards the placemat next to her. With a grunt he slowly lowered himself down, keeping the polished metal cane standing as he used it as a support, ignoring the burning sensation in his hip when he crossed his legs. Tenzin took the cane in his hands, once again seeing the soft golden swirls in its metallic surface before placing it next to him on the floor.

Tenzin looked at the bowl of rice in front of him, and the smaller one next to it filled with diced green leaves. And exhaled a content sigh. He looked at his family as they waited for him to say something.

Closing his eyes and clasping his hands he bowed his head while his family did the same. "We are grateful for this delicious food, for happiness, for compassion and... for blessing us in these troubled times." His thoughts went somewhere else, and he nodded to himself. "And hope that you will grant him a speedy recovery. Thank you."

The table was quiet at first as everyone started eating. Ikki and Meelo quietly argued with each other while dueling with chopsticks, but their attempts to one-up each other were subdued and half-hearted. Jinora kept reading her book, lost in them more than usual as she picked at her food.

Pema glanced at Tenzin. "So how was your day?"

He thought to the constant meetings, the constant press statements, the constant worry and the constant concern he felt, for Republic City and Korra. "Difficult." he glanced down at his cane, glad that Lin fashioned it for him. "Is Korra home yet?"

Pema leaned away for a moment to help Rohan with his food, and shook her head. She glanced up at Jinora. "Your food will grow cold, Jinora."

Jinora peered over the top of her book and sighed, before diving back down and disappearing from sight. "Not hungry." the pages muttered.

Tenzin couldn't help agreeing with his oldest daughter, but ate anyway, knowing he'd need it before facing another day's worth of frustration, helplessness, and chaos. It was all beginning to turn into noise to him, something he could not allow to happen.

He hoped it would all get better soon.

Somewhere in the halls outside of the dining room a door slid open with a drawn out grind, being closed with a solid thud.

"Is that Korra!?" Ikki brightened up, getting to her feet and pushing away from the table before Tenzin could answer her and run towards the opening out to the hallway.

Heavy footsteps, each one lagging a little behind the other came down on the floorboards, getting a squeak in answer each time. Ikki disappeared around the corner, jumping at Korra's feet as the Avatar came in view of the room. "Korra, Korra, Korra! How was your day? Did you find any of the bad guys? I hope you did-"

Korra rubbed her eyes and grumbled something, and stilled Ikki with a hand on her shoulder. "Not now, Ikki. I'm sorry." she looked up at everyone in the room. "Hey."

Pema smiled and indicated the table. "We're just about to get into it, you came just in time-"

"I'm not hungry, Pema."

Pema stopped and blinked twice, and nodded once. "Oh."

Korra didn't like the concerned look on Tenzin as she turned away from them. "I'm going to bed."

She left down the hallway and Pema turned to Tenzin. "Honey-"

Tenzin nodded and patted her shoulder. "I'll be back." he took in a deep breath as he grabbed his cane, keeping it rigid as he hoisted himself to his feet while she held onto his hand as a support.

Grunting with the effort he swung the cane in time with his injured side, slowly making his way out of the room after Korra. He came out in the hallway. Tenzin took his time going down its length, until he turned another corner and appeared in the main entry hall to his family's quarters on the island. He quietly cursed faced with the prospect of going up all those stairs to the second level.

With a sigh he took the first step, groaning when his hip burned and ached but he kept going, step after step until he reached the second floor. He saw Korra nearby, out on a balcony jutting out above the entrance to the building.

He made his way over, knowing she would not be in the mood for talk right now. The bottom of his cane scraped against the bottom edge of the doorframe, but the girl didn't stir. He noticed the bandages on her hands and frowned. "You've gotten hurt."

"Bruises. Nothing I can't handle." the girl's brusque tones didn't escape him.

"I've been getting reports of you roaming the city, healing everyone you can find. I'm proud of you."

"Just trying to live up to the name." she muttered, resting her chin on the wooden railing.

Tenzin arched a eyebrow as he approached, the cane thudding into the wood with each step. "You don't have anything to prove."

"I'm the Avatar. And lately I haven't been... 'Avatarring' enough." He knew what she meant, but didn't agree with it. "I could have stopped him from going out on his own, but I failed. I thought he would stay, but he didn't. And now she shows up out of the blue? What do I say to her?"

"Korra. He is responsible for his actions, not you. Please, just-"

"Don't, Tenzin. Just don't."

* * *

Talisa stirred, lifting her head and flexing her hand. She rubbed the handmark on her cheek as she shifted in the chair. The room was brightly lit, and she had the balcony doors open to keep a cool breeze flowing to keep him comfortable.

Right, now that was something she could do without screwing up.

Seeing him again was something she always had on her mind, constantly, ever since she last saw him. But not like this. And not knowing whether he would wake up or not. Or if she wanted him to. The irrational, completely renegade thought took hold of her. What if he didn't even recognize her after all these years, or did? But would just reject her out of pure spite? She had so much to say, so much to do, so much to atone for-

"Hush, Rohan." Talisa started and turned in the chair, seeing Pema shake her finger while Rohan grasped onto it and pulled and tugged. The softspoken woman she had last seen quite a long time ago looked so... right. Like this was something she was always ready to do.

Talisa cleared her throat and vacated the chair, sweeping her hands towards it and smiling at her friend.

Rohan gurgled happily in her arms as Pema went over and sat down in the chair with a sigh, keeping Rohan in her lap as Talisa stepped back and sat on the corner of the bed, trying to take up as little space as possible.

Rather than look behind her she kept her gaze straight ahead, clasping her hands together and leaning forward slightly. She glanced up at Pema. "Spirits, the whole time I've been here, you've been the best mother I've ever seen. Always knew you'd be the family type." Somehow the ghost of a smirk touched her lips. "And with Teacher?"

Pema's cheeks reddened only for a moment before Rohan's giggling got her attention. She smiled at her youngest child as he played with her hair. "Cute, coming from you, Tali. You practically jumped Anzo before the either of you turned 21."

Talisa conceded with a nod. "Heh. Got me there." she crossed her arms and stared at the floor. "They're lovely children."

"Hmm." Pema smiled, letting it drop as she glanced at the boy in the bed.

"So, how long has he been staying on the island?" Talisa whispered.

"Around a year now. Just before that nasty business with Amon. He-" Pema sighed and looked her old friend straight in the eye, knowing she would not take this well. "He was trying to kill him, Talisa."

The airbender's eyes narrowed as she clenched her hands. "He was?"

Pema nodded. "We took him in ever since. He's been through a lot, but he has a home here."

"Good." Talisa couldn't help thinking that staying out of his life would be the best. But her troubles just had to affect him as well, and Tarrin... her eyes grew soft as she wiped away a few tears with her sleeve. "I've missed seeing him." A gasp punctuated her words as she managed to get control of herself as Pema came over, her hand extended.

"It won't do you or him any good just waiting like this. Come on. Let's leave him to rest."

Talisa looked up at her old friend, quickly heaving a sigh before nodding and letting Pema lead her out of the room.

* * *

Korra couldn't sleep again.

She rubbed her arms from the cool breeze coming into the dark room, only lit by the moonlight from the clear night outside. She had her knees drawn up against her chest as she sat in the corner of her bed, her back right up against the wall, her own breaths being the only thing she could hear.

If she closed her eyes for even a second, she knew that once she fell asleep, she would get the nightmares again. She would see the eyes of that strange pale woman, taunting her about her failure.

But when she kept them open, she couldn't stop thinking about how close she was to almost losing another friend in the space of a week. Kya had done the work, not her, she could barely keep it together after seeing the state he was in. The wounds he had suffered forced Kya to use something that she knew nobody would ever forgive if they knew.

But it saved him.

Training and training was all she set her mind on since then, honing her skills anyway she could, expanding what she knew of her abilities in order to be ready for the next time Telei would show up again. It was inevitable, she knew he was out to use her for some purpose, she didn't know what. Whatever it was, his actions threatened Republic City and had hospitalized Tenzin and Bolin, something she would never forget. She knew that whatever he needed she had to stop him from getting.

Korra heaved a sigh. How could she stop him getting her if she couldn't even stop him from hurting Tai?

She opened and closed her palm, staring down at it and remembering the wrong sensation of a spark trying and failing to ignite. Was something wrong with her bending? It terrified her to think that even after all this time Amon still had his grip from her, even from beyond the grave.

The Avatar made a huge effort to get out of her own thoughts, reaching inwards for a answer to her problem. She closed her eyes and stretched out her legs before crossing them. Taking a deep breath she focused on the rhythm of her own heartbeat and breathing, enough so that the world close around her and darkened to a comfortable darkness.

Slowly as what usually happened, the doubt in her mind dulled somewhat, being swept away by a calming wave of relaxed thoughts. She used the opportunity to search for Aang. To seek his guidance like she had done in the past. She needed to talk to him about her bending, and about Telei, about Republic City about all of it-

Her eyes flew open with a gasp as her heart raced from the discovery of feeling and hearing _nothing_.

Aang wasn't there.

* * *

火


	2. The Uproar, and the Fuse

**A/N**

Okay dokey, time for Chapter 2. Where the plot begins to invade once again. Now, in the coming chapters you may occasionally notice that they widely vary in both composition and structure. Now that's because I'm aiming for a more streamlined writing style then I had before. Less focus on details and movements apart from where it matters and having the description's more spread out and simplified. Plus I don't have to detail any new locations so they stick in the mind, well, apart from new locales in the center of the story.

Please, stay tuned and please review/crticise.

* * *

火

* * *

_Republic City._

His firm grasp on the wheel made sure that they took the corners smoothly and efficiently, and ducked in and out of what little traffic there was on the overcast and grey day. Most were simple garbage trucks or movers, coming in from the other boroughs into the industrial districts and stopping at any of the hundreds of warehouses, complexes, and manufactories tightly clustered together around the city railway.

Iroh's golden eyes flicked up at the rearview mirror as he guided the Satomobile onto a straight road towards the crossing, settling on Asami as she stared down at the reports in her lap as she sifted through them and occasionally scribbled a note or two.

He narrowed them, remembering the floodlights, the desperate crowd, and the madman exerting his control over them all. Every single day and night since finding Asami down there he made sure to keep surveillance on the Train Terminal's tunnels. He knew it was impossible. Thousands of people passed through there everyday, and with the central hub of the old train network being taken over by Hiroshi Sato and his Equalists and no _clue_ what he had planned, he knew he needed to inform the council and the police. But he was still her father, and Iroh knew he couldn't make that decision.

Still, Asami had disowned her father long ago, but the knowledge that he was out there somewhere still affecting Asami tore at Iroh.

"Something wrong?" Her eyes were focused on him with a slight look of concern on her features.

Iroh cast his eyes forward, refocusing on the road. "It's nothing."

He heard her shift the pages around in her lap. "Okay." After a few seconds she spoke up again. "So. You haven't really given me your opinion on the ship designs."

His hold tightened on the wheel as he turned another corner. "The designs? We've worked in the lessons we learned from the Equalist ambush, coupled with your additions those designs are top-notch." Iroh grimaced at the memory of his failure, unable to find little comfort in that there could be something gained from it.

"So you're satisfied?"

The general nodded. "Definitely."

A bump in the road jostled the satomobile around, bringing the conversation to a close. Asami smiled and went back to her sheets. "Luckily if those designs aren't good enough for your superiors in the United Forces there's always the biplane prototype-"

He tuned out, focusing on reaching the top of the small rise in the road ahead. Once the satomobile cleared it, the Future Industries assembly building came within sight, looming over a network of railroads and freight lanes granting a constant flow of materials and people in and out his hands tightened on the wall, the leather of his gloves squeaking. "That sounds like a lot of work for your workers. Do you think they'll be able to build them in time?"

"They've been with the company for years. Some of them even worked on the first Satomobile chassis." The girl's eyes flicked downwards as she sighed. "They are the best I can ever ask for, and I've already asked so much of them trying to get Future Industries back on its feet." she closed her eyes and nodded. "I'm thinking of introducing mecha-tanks into the workforce."

"What?"

"Just hear me out, Iroh." Asami quickly said.

He grinded his teeth, hoping that she wasn't seriously considering using those things. They were fine as something to be tinkered with, but to actually use the most potent weapon the Equalists had against benders?

"I've been thinking about this ever since we... found what we found underneath Central Station. Using our own mecha-tanks will not only speed up production and allow us to stay in business, we can also show Republic City that they aren't just weapons of terror, but tools to rebuild."'

"This will put you on mighty thin ice with the council, Asami-"

"Which is why I'm not going to tell them. They'll get their new airships and satomobiles on time, we'll get the biplanes completed and can focus on the new ships for the United Forces."

The main gate of the complex came in sight. Iroh kept driving as the guards at the gate opened it up for them to drive through. He followed the road until it came to the base of the massive factory, splitting off into several smaller lanes that each led into a loading bay or garage.

Iroh made for the closest of these, bringing the car to a halt inside the spacious and polished interior. He turned the key and slid it of the ignition, stopping the engine. he sighed and twisted in the seat, looking at her determined features. "Is this because of your father?"

The girl said nothing, keeping her mouth closed but still staring straight at him as she gathered the papers into her briefcase.

"Because I need to know, Asami. Seeing him again with all those people following him has you scared and afraid. You know that he's planning something big. And that weapon he gave you has something to do with it." Before she could say anything he continued. "Have you had any contact with him since?"

Asami's eyes grew cold and distant as she opened the door. "I'll be in the workshop with Verick, general."

She closed door behind her as she walked around the front of the car, ducking through the side-door and out of sight.

* * *

_City Hall._

Korra opened and closed her hand, looking down at it while standing at the top of the steps. If she could concentrate enough, she could feel a strange kind of pressure just underneath the skin of her palm, but just as she felt it it went away without warning. Like she was just imagining things.

"You've been awfully quiet lately. That's saying something, Korra."

She looked up at Kya, who leaned against one of the thick pillars supporting the front face of City Hall at the top of the steps. Korra gave her a confident smile. "I'm fine."

Immediately Kya rolled her eyes. "Heard that one before." She looked over Korra for a few seconds until she shook her head and put a hand on her shoulder. "Your friend's gonna be fine, you know."

Korra stiffened, forcing herself to not take a look at her palms as she nodded. "Yeah." she glanced around herself before looking back at Kya. "So why are you out here?"

Kya's expression went slightly nauseous. "Because the alternative would be spending my time in there with two old creeps. Plus, I figured you'd want someone a little respectable to have your back in there."

"You're the best, Kya." Korra managed a chuckle, even with her thoughts preoccupied about what happened the other day with Lun. "Why do they want to see me?"

"No clue." Kya shrugged as she pushed on the double doors, holding them open for Korra. The two of them went in and closed the huge doors behind them, the noise echoing through the massive council hall.

Right at the end, Wu and Pok were seated at the meeting table, both of them looking in their direction.

Korra and Kya mde their way down the long length of the hall as quickly as they could, slowing down as they went up the steps leading to the table and the wooden platform behind it.

"Avatar. Lady Kya." Wu bowed as she and Kya approached the huge table.

"As always, it is a tremendous pleasure to see you, Korra." Pok's words absolutely dripped with honey, coupled with the off-feeling she always got when near him put a chill down her spine.

Kya mutter something under her breath and nodded as she stood next to Korra. "Cut to the chase. What do you two want?"

"Always so brusque." Pok smiled at Kya. "You would be popular in the Northern Water Tribe." He turned to Korra, running his hands over the smooth lacquered surface of the table. "It's a very simple request we ask of you Avatar. We just want to know where you have been since the Agni Kai's attack on this fair city. My colleague and I believe it is a reasonable question to know the answer to. Where were you?"

Korra sensed a trap. "Training. On Air Temple Island." she answered.

"Training?" Wu's question had a edge of incredulity to it, like she was doing something he never thought she needed or had to do.

Catching a curious glance from Kya, she nodded. "Yeah. Firebending training."

"But are you not considered a master Firebender? You successfully completed your evaluation shortly before coming to Republic City, if I'm not mistaken?"

Pok's nasally tones made her want to grind her teeth. She looked at him and nodded, ignoring the fact that her firebending had been sporadic lately. "That's right. But just because I'm a master firebender doesn't mean I don't have anything left to learn."

Wu nodded with a callous glint in his eyes. "Yes. We heard that... Zuko has returned to the city. It is such a honor." Korra nearly missed the sarcastic tone. "Now we know why." The old man rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a few moments. "Still. While it is good to see you are not shirking your development, perhaps you should explain why you haven't made any statements or broadcasts to the people of Republic City. I'm sure that they need your guidance more than ever."

"They need their savior, after all." Pok added.

"Hold up." Kya stepped forward, her arms folded as she chuckled. "You think that just because Korra hasn't wasted her time with any press releases or radio talks, she hasn't been there for the people? Where were you two during the attack anyway? Hiding behind some bodyguards?"

Pok's smile flashed dangerously at that moment, putting unease in Kya and another shiver in Korra. "We are Councilmen, lady Kya. And we represent our respective nations in this city. It is our duty to guide and protect it. How, I ask you, can we do that by leading a 'brave' charge against highly militant criminals?" The points of his teeth gleamed in the brightly lit hall. "We were right where the city needed us. Was she?"

Kya gritted her teeth and the Northern Triber's audacity, her anger threatening to rise out of control when she glanced at Korra, seeing the blank look in the girl's eyes as she stared at her feet, her hands locked by her sides.

Korra's hands tightened into fists, angry that a part of her agreed with them.

* * *

_Future Industries._

The constant echoing shouts around her going back and forth across the assembly floor, the satisfying series of sharp clicks made when she tightened a bolt or the clang when she put a new pipe in place. All of that served to calm and focus her thoughts, stopping them from turning to anything distracting like a over-protective general or a madman father that wanted her to join his quest for vengeance, even after trying to kill her.

Here in her personal workshop. Here all of that just faded, lost in the rhythmic bang of realigning a busted manifold and the sweat of her brow as she worked to fix what her father broke.

This was her home.

She exhaled as she fished a dirty grey cloth out of her back pocket, wiping it across her brow to mop up any excess sweat that would have had the gall to drip into her eyes and make them sting.

The inventor had stripped off her favorite biking jacket earlier, leaving it on a hook near the garage door separating the cornered room from the assembly floor proper. Her tunic and pants laid as a bunched up mess on a bench near a row of lockers, and instead she wore a simple thin crimson tanktop and black cargo pants with the company logo on them.

She stood up straight, rolling her shoulders and massaging her necks as she went to a nearby workbench, stripping her thick workgloves off and stuffing them in her pant's waistline. Asami leaned over the blueprint taking up most of the benchtop, bathed in warm bright light from the industrial strength desk lamp hanging over it.

Asami stared at the angular and long profile of the ship she had been working with Verick for the past six months, once again wondering if the crazy idea she had intended for it would even get the United Force's attention. No huge deck guns for the firebenders. Concealed platforms for earthbenders, and lower walkways for waterbenders. Even Iroh had already guessed that it was woefully underequipped for it's size, and could never face a Fire Nation Dreadnought or Earth Kingdom War Barge in a straight-up fight.

On its own at least. Asami didn't hold any love for the Equalists, but they did give her a few ideas about asymmetrical thinking.

The only problem was actually building the damn thing.

She sighed and made a few notes about the superstructure materials being too brittle in their current state, before she dropped the pen back on the workbench, where it rolled towards the center of the blueprint and stayed there.

Asami turned around and folded her arms, staring at her pride and joy she had been fixing over the past couple of months. Well, resurrecting would be a better word for it. The original had been completely written off when she drove it into the cockpit of a mecha tank, distracting the Equalists taking hostages from the Police Station so that Korra and the others could take on the other mecha-tanks.

"Ms Sato?"

She glanced to the side, immediately recognizing the owner of the voice. "Mr Shinobi?" Asami stood up straight, grabbing the nearby rag and quickly wiping it over herself to get rid of her sweat before throwing it away and coming over to greet him. She shook his extended hand. "I haven't seen you since the Agni Kais attacked the arena."

The weasel-faced man nodded with a apologetic grin. "The Triads have never been a fan of my work, so I had to use a few tricks up my sleeve to disappear for a while."

Asami smiled, definitely sure that he lived up to his name. "I'm glad you're alright."

"Unfortunately, I didn't come just to exchange pleasantries, Ms Sato." A serious look surfaced in his usually warm eyes as he dragged out a crumpled letter from his breast pocket. "The attack on the arena wasn't opportunistic. It was planned."

A chill went down Asami's back but she ignored it. "How?"

Shiro had a grim look on him. "Someone allowed the Agni Kais access into the arena." His hands shook as he said a name. "Butakha."

"What? Wait- he owns the arena, he runs the pro-bending matches. How could getting the arena torched be helpful to him in any possible way?" Butakha was a slimebag for certain, but to pull something on this scale at great cost to himself...

"I've had plenty of contact with the Triads, ms Sato. And I can tell you they only ever work for their own interests. Butakha may have bitten off more than he could chew, which is a little surprising considering how much he can stuff in-"

She couldn't help smirking as she held up her hand. "Got the point." Asami looked at him. "Why give it to me?"

"I trust you, Ms Sato. I believe you'll make the right decision." Shiro smiled as he ran his thumb along the creases in the letter, smoothing them out before offering it to her. "You're a decent person. Hard to come by in this town sometimes."

And with that, he tipped his hat to her and left the workshop. The bustle and noise of grinders and welders working nonstop took over as she stared at the letter in her hand, wondering if she should open it now or leave it for later.

She placed it in her back pocket and went back to the workbench.

"...Mister Shinobi, is that you?"

Asami blinked twice at the sound of Bolin's voice echoing around the room.

The boy's collar let off a few chitters as he walked through the door Shiro had just left through, with Verick along in two. The two of them quickly stopped in their tracks at the sight of her. Bolin's cheeks flushed a little as he coughed nervously, while Verick elbowed him and sniggered.

Asami closed her eyes and shook her head. "Had a good gawk?" she chuckled, heightening Bolin's embarrassment.

"Duh- buh, you-" Bolin continued to spout gibberish as she grinned. Finally he managed to semi-compose himself with a deep breath. "So, working hard? Or hardly working?"

Verick hid a wince from him.

"Eh, a little bit of both." she placed her hands on her hips as the two of them moved towards the workbench. Asami spotted the bag Bolin was carrying. "What's in that?"

"I took Bo' shopping." Verick explained while Bolin nodded eagerly. "He winked at Asami as he fished around in the bag, dragging out a bottle of creamy white liquid. "Figured you were thirsty as well." he placed it on the tabletop.

She nodded her thanks. "Cheers, Verick." Stuffing down her craving for the popa juice, she watched Bolin as he dragged out a plush crimson cushion from the bag, placing it on the workbench and reaching inside his collar to place Pabu on it.

Verick moved towards the door, patting Bolin on the shoulder before sharing a quick glance with Asami. She nodded as he left the room, a chitter from Pabu drawing her attention.

The ferret looked up at him. "I just need to get you used to it, buddy. Home's all closed off. Sorry."

Asami's smile went away. With the arena in the state it was, she remembered that the airship crashing on top of it had wrecked most of the attic towers as well. "Bolin, do you have a place to stay?"

"Huh?" Bolin glanced at her and smiled. "Yeah, of course I do!" Suddenly his face fell as he looked away, placing his fingertips together and letting his nervousness show. "Well. No. With the arena wrecked and all.." he trailed off with a sigh. He looked up at her. "I don't want to impose, and I'm sure Mako has room in his apartment-"

Asami's eyes softened as she smiled at him, for moment reminded of the mess she found Mako in before focusing on Bolin. "You're welcome to stay at the estate, you know. Always have been." she heaved a sigh and smirked. "Besides, two hundred rooms all to myself... it's making me a little crazy. What do you say?"

"So... roommates?" Bolin scooped up Pabu and stuffed the cushion back in the bag.

She smiled and held out her hand. "Roommates."

* * *

_Central Park._

"Urrgh!" Korra finally released her pent-up growl as she shouldered past a couple of metalbender patrolmen on the path. "They think they can boss me around like that?" She glanced at the recruits. "Sorry."she muttered. The two of them nodded and bowed before leaving, while she looked at Kya. "Hopefully we won't get jumped by any reporters."

"Luckily, the parks have never been a place to find a hot scoop, so you should be safe. I don't know why Pok and Wu want you to have a press releaseall of a sudden, but whatever reasons they have, the city already knows you're doing everything you can. I would have thought they knew about all of that time you spent out on the streets." Kya had her hands in her pockets. "Don't let them get to you."

"Like I would." Korra muttered, unable or unwilling to enjoy the picturesque forests and peaceful surroundings around her like she usually did. The path ended at a arched bridge spanning a gurgling stream of clear water, its surface dull and opaque owing to the thick carpet of grey clouds above due to the waterbenders dousing the flames.

She felt a pang after crossing the bridge, stopping near a small shrine styled as a miniature replica of a Fire Nation temple. Korra turned around, remembering the bank she fished from when first coming to Republic City. And more recently, when she was out with Tai.

The dizzying display of warm lights made by the swarm of fireflies was still vivid in her thoughts.

"What's up?" Korra peered over her shoulder at Kya. The healer had a concerned look on her. "Look, they can't tell you what to do-"

"It's not that." The girl sighed as she closed her eyes, trying to focus on the present. She opened them again after the failed task. "Is he ever going to wake up?"

"You're looking at the greatest healer in the world - barring mother - Korra, he'll wake up soon. I promise, all it takes is time." Kya had a small smile on her as something dawned in her thoughts. "Gonna spill?"

Despite the absolutely dark places threatening to drag her in, she managed a twisted smirk at the older women. "Okay." she breathed out, steadying herself in the calm waters of the lake ahead. "We - uh, me and him - we decided to blow off a little steam by coming here."

"Go on." Kya accidentally let a snigger out.

Quickly, Korra's cheeks flushed as she shook her head. "Not to do anything like that, I swear! We just spent some time relaxing." The girl's eyes suddenly dropped at the memory of Tenzin's condition. "I kind of needed it after what happened." Korra sat down one the grass, her legs crossed.

"We all did." Kya joined her. "Honestly, I would not want to be in your shoes right now." Quickly she realized what she said and immediately held up her hands in apology. "Sorry."

"Don't worry, Kya. I don't either." Korra sighed and picked at the grass around her feet, unsure of what to do next. Telei was still out there, the Agni Kais had vanished without a trace, she had no idea what the Monsoons were up to, and those earthbenders at the Southern Air Temple, Tenzin said they were _Dai Li-_

So many problems she needed to solve.

Her eyes narrowed. She knew she had to shoulder it on her own, tough it out and just get herself under control. No one else would get hurt because of her.

"Here comes trouble." Kya tugged on her shoulder, and Korra glanced to see two men in crimson uniforms coming towards them from one of the bridges. As soon as Bumi saw the two of them, he immediately broke into a energetic jog, that energy going into his fist as he sailed forwards and caught Kya on the shoulder just as she stood up to greet them.

Behind him Iroh rolled his eyes.

"Sis! Hey there!" Bumi held his arms out for a hug as Kya yelped while Iroh stood close by, his hands clasped behind his back and stature composed.

"Bumi. Hi." Kya rubbed her shoulder and gave him a disapproving look. "Just where have you been anyway?"

"All over the place, sis-" Bumi blinked twice at the fuming glare his older sister was giving him.

"Except City Hall." Kya shoved her brother in the chest with a annoyed grunt. "Hey, remember that time when you showed up as a _Councilman_?"

"What? I've been busy doing real work, you and I both know we can't do much sitting around a table and talking about statistics and reports."

"Oh yeah, like what?" Kya placed her hands on her hips an arched her eyebrow with a smirk.

"Oh, nothing, just chasing up leads on the bastard that nearly killed baby brother. That's what." The jovial side was gone, replaced by a grim look in his eyes and barely reigned-in anger.

Kya dropped the smirk as her shoulders sagged. She nodded. "Oh."

"You've been looking for Telei? Where is he? Is he-"

"No luck, actually." Korra stopped and glanced at Iroh.

She arched a eyebrow. "Iroh? Aren't you hanging around Asami these days?" Korra watched as brief angry shadow flicked across the young general's features.

The look she saw on Iroh's face was one of barely concealed rage. "I'm not needed right now. Finding Telei is a priority." The general exhaled sharply as he unclenched his fists. "The usual sources we can turn to have gone missing. What we do know is that he's no longer in the city."

"For whatever good that will do him." Bumi muttered under his breath, hand falling close to the hilt of his saber.

Korra felt relief at first, only for it to flicker and fade in the wake of a sense of disquiet. If he was out in the world, then it was her duty to go out and find him.

* * *

_Sato Mansion._

She worked the comb around a little, sticking her tongue out in concentration as she focused her efforts on the one little tangle still defiantly holding out. A grunt came out of her when the comb's teeth broke through the tangle, freeing the hair and completing the curtain that draped over the front and back of her shoulders and covered the back of her neck.

Asami sighed at the pleasant sensation of a job well-done, stooping to open the drawer of a nearby table, dropping it inside and rearranging the crimson-colored robe around herself. She padded down the hallway, turning a corner and hearing a series of thuds, bumps and chitters from the nearby double-doors.

The girl smiled to herself as a thin men dressed in a impeccably arranged black suit slipped inbetween them into the hallway, his back pressed to the doors for a few moments as his chest lifted and dropped heavily. His face had a stricken expression on it as he spotted Asami, and he quickly rearranged it into a neutral mask and inclined his head to her, straightening and adjusting his wide black tie. "Ms Sato. " He nodded quickly, wringing out his cuffs. "If I may ask you of one request. May it be this? Can you please inform me whenever you invite new guests to stay over." The harried man peered over his shoulder. "Or old ones."

Asami reached her hand forward in apology. "I'm so sorry, is he causing any trouble or making a mess-"

He shook his head. "Not him, Ms Sato. Master Bolin's little _Fire-Ferret_. The _Terror._" For a moment his voice went to a stricken whisper before he cleared his throat, reaching up a single finger to smooth down a single strand of sticking up from the rest. "Please excuse me." he bowed and walked past her with a tightly held posture, before soon enough his pace quickened until he was almost jogging.

She chuckled as she slipped through the huge doorway, slight chills going along her bare feet as soon as they touched the cold stone floor. She took her time moving close to the pool, not sure if she wanted the interrupt the little discussion going between the Fire Ferret and his longtime friend and owner.

"...seriously, do you want her to kick us out? He is not a scratching post! Or the enemy! Got it?"

The wet and soaking length of poofed up red fur answered with a shrill squeak.

Asami stopped at the edge of the pool, flexing her toes on the cold surface before taking a deep breath and shrugging off the thin robe from her shoulders, and placing it on the stones nearby before lowering herself into the water, sighing at its cool embrace.

She rolled her neck as Bolin continued arguing with Pabu, staring him right in his beady little eyes. "-you have no remorse, don't you-" The little fire-ferret squeaked and Bolin stopped talking, glancing in her direction.

His eyes flicked everywhere. And his cheeks flushed for a moment before he hid Pabu behind his back. "Hey, Asami."

Asami folded her arms and smiled as he waded through the water towards her. "Having fun?"

"Yeah, of course I am." His eyes flicked behind him.

She tilted her head. "And?" At that moment Pabu managed to squirm out of Bolin's hands, clamber over his shoulder and leap onto Asami's arms. "Has 'Master' Pabu been causing some trouble?"

Bolin held up his finger, before sagging and nodding. "He kinda attacked the butler."

Pabu took that moment to look up at her while licking her chin. She smirked at Bolin. "He's a killer, alright." She chuckled. "Don't worry so much, Bolin. You and Pabu are very welcome here. And I like the company."

The earthbender went to say his thanks when he looked down at Pabu's soft brown eyes. "Aw. I can't stay mad at him."

In response the Fire-Ferret squeaked and clambered back onto his shoulder, squeaking as Bolin lifted a finger up and scratched him under the chin. He waded past Asami, hoisting himself out of the water with a grunt and sitting on the edge with his legs still in the water. He reached for the towel nearby and to start drying himself off. He sighed. "I think I'll wait a few days before asking him to pat us dry. And I'll apologize."

She nodded as she turned in the water and rested her arms on the edge, leaning her cheek on them and looking up at him. "So how are you doing?"

"Me?" He blinked twice and nodded. "Doing great, as always." He smiled.

Asami smiled at his cheerfulness. "I kinda meant physically. I mean when the Agni Kais attacked the arena they-" Her eyes flicked down as her voice trail away.

"I'm on my feet aren't I?" Bolin grinned down at her. "I'm 100%, Asami. I have Sensha to thank for that." He nodded to himself and sighed.

She frowned. "What's wrong?"

"It's just- I know she probably wouldn't want me telling anyone this, but I've seen the burns she got on her arms. I still can't believe she protected me like that." Bolin rubbed his arms. "She's a great friend." he muttered.

Asami picked up a strange undertone, but she ignored it. "She's okay. And you're okay. That's good, isn't it?"

Bolin didn't say anything, but she saw him visibly brighten just a little. "Yeah." He lifted his head and looked at her. "So, thanks for putting me up, Asami. Can't thank you enough."

"There's no way I can take on two hundred rooms by myself, Bolin. I need a partner in crime for that."

"No- I mean - seriously. Even if the arena hadn't been wrecked, I probably would have wound up asking you sooner or later."

The girl frowned. "Really? But I thought you loved it there."

He quickly nodded. "No I do, it's great and all..." Bolin closed his mouth and shook his head. "But lately, every time I go into that small, dusty place after seeing you guys doing what you want to do- Korra being the Avatar, Mako being a cop, you and Future Industries... Every time I see you guys, you've accomplished something with your lives. You've moved on and helped people. And where am I? Still the captain of a team that hasn't seen a match in months. Still just Bolin."

She lifted herself out of the water and sat next to him, and gave him a nudge in the shoulder. "Is that such a bad thing?"

"Sure seems like it." Bolin muttered.

"I don't think it is. And I don't think Korra does either. Or Tai, or Sensha, or Boto for that matter." Asami placed her arm around his shoulder. "And Mako... he'll always see you as the most important thing in the world to him."

The gurgling of the water streaming from the Lion-Turtle statue into the pool echoed all across the room, as the two of them settled into a silence.

Bolin broke it first, a very big and warm smile on him. "Wow."

She returned it, although before long she found herself looking down at her reflection in the water, looking into her green eyes. "I went to check up on him after you were in the hospital."

The earthbender didn't take his gaze from her or speak up to interrupt her.

"He was a mess, I had never seen him so completely lost or quiet." A memory interrupted her, seeing her father acting the exact same way after mother died. "I was scared for him." For a moment, she wasn't sure if she was speaking from experience or from what she saw.

"He's okay now, right?"

Asami had no idea what to say. She could be wrong, or right, either way.

She chewed her lip as Bolin stood up, the towel draped over his shoulders. "You gonna be alright in here?"

Even with the memories of both her father and Mako gnawing at her she managed to look up and smile at him. "Yeah. Came here to relax, didn't I?"

"Okay. If you say so." He began to walk away from the pool's edge towards the double doors as she frowned and looked into the water, seeing the distorted view of herself.

Relaxing was going to be harder than she thought.

* * *

_Air Temple Island._

Korra rounded the hallway's corner and stopped, leaning against the wall as she folded her arms and sighed. What if Wu and Pok were right? What was she accomplishing by just wearing herself down trying to help every individual family and person who needed her help? What if the city had just been looking to her presence on the radio or newspapers instead, drawing comfort in the fact that she was there to help them through the crisis?

These and other thoughts had kept her up at night, constantly throughout the recent weeks.

She rubbed her eyes, still unable to spend five minutes in bed before a pair of burning yellow slits, or cold grey eyes, or any other combination of the spectres that haunted her invaded her thoughts and dreams. Often enough she woke up in a cold sweat, gasping for breath like she had just come up for air from a dark abyss.

She couldn't sleep.

The urge to stretch her arms came as she came to a another long stretching hallway, dimly lit only by a scattering of lamps set on numerous wooden tables along its length. The floorboards squeaked each time she set a bare foot down, marking her journey towards the sliding door in the middle, rooms designed for both quiet meditation or, she narrowed her eyes, bloody healing.

Korra came to a stop in front of it, quietly sliding it open as a muffled hoot sounded from the outside. She stepped into the room, holding her gaze with the sole occupant like she always did each time she set foot in here.

There was someone else in the room, enigmatic as always. She nodded her greetings at Talisa, going further in whether she liked it or not and folding her arms, staring at the unconscious boy.

"You come in here a lot, Avatar." The mother said, nothing scathing or bitter or even surprised contained in the words.

"Yeah."

Korra said nothing else as she stood there. "He hasn't gotten worse. Or better. Or anything." Korra nodded, not really listening. A heavy sigh cut through her thoughts as the woman stood up from the chair, hugging her elbows as she stared down at her son.

"He's all I have left and I can't do anything for him." she whispered.

Korra didn't respond, but her narrowed eyes softened just a little.

Suddenly Talisa made her way out of the room, her eyes on nothing but the door.

Finally, Korra's eyes fully softened. She rubbed a hand down her face, unable to keep herself from diving deep into her thoughts, unable to stop from focusing on the mistake she made trying to stop him from leaving, or the mistake she made in not going after him the instant he was gone with the wind.

A mistake she knew there was no one responsible for but she and him.

She wasn't supposed to be fixated on him, she was supposed to focus on the bigger picture, on keeping her focus and finding out what was wrong with the spirits or what the Triads had in store for the city.

And as for Telei, just what exactly he wanted to use her for in-

Korra's eyes widened when she saw his hand flex.

* * *

火


	3. The Pressing Dark, The Changed Boy

**A/N**

Dat Book 2 Trailer.

Seriously, completely blown away by how awesome it looks like Book 2's gonna be! I'm actually going to incorporate a few of the scenes into the rest of the series, with my own spin on them of course. As for the Spirits? They are seriously fantastic, and in these stories especially, they'll form part of the complete conflict stretching the four stories, mainly because of the overarching storyline.

And don't worry, the flashback at the start of the chapter will be the last.

So the next one should be out in a few days, until then, please enjoy, please review.

* * *

火

* * *

_"Are you lost, child?"_

_His eyes went wide, no longer hearing the crashing thunder or feeling the roaring wind beat him down, only dark twisted roots, growing in all directions and clawing their ways up the walls of the cave he found himself kneeling in. His mouth hung open in silent horror as a thick black tentacle wrapped around the man and dragged him up into the air. The boy looked up, as a gargantuan insectoid body unfurled from out of the shadows in front of him, wearing a grim white mask._

_The boy's fear didn't keep his hand from clenching into a fist at the sight of his father dangling in the air. "Give him back! He's not yours! Give back my dad!" _

_The grim white mask shook. "Not mine? He has always been mine. I do not share what is mine."_

_Despite every instinct telling him not to, the boy gritted his teeth and stepped forward, facing up to the monstrous centipede. It's claws clacked together as it lowered itself to his level, bring its face right up to his. He didn't flinch, even though every inch of his body trembled and shook with both anger and fear as he held the creature's gaze for as long as he could. _

_"He is mine. And there is nothing you can do about it." The creature's body swayed as it said this, before suddenly its entire length convulsed, claws scrabbling at the air as the white face disappeared, changing into the fearsome visage of a Oni. "Old Koh can be so soft, sometimes." it whispered._

_The child's eyes widened but he didn't take a step back, even as something sticky and goopy slathered all over his wrist. He glanced down with a grunt, tracking the inky black substance as it squeezed around his wrist and pulled him back. "No!" the boy grunted, pushing and squirming, managing a few steps forward when another wrapped around his ankle and wrenched. He rolled and bucked as another slathered over his mouth, his eyes focused solely on his father's body in as Koh hissed and its face melted away to reveal a nimbus of sickly golden light in a dark maw._

_The boy's thoughts clouded over._

* * *

_Air Temple Island._

He cracked one eye open, every sensation hitting him all at once as he gasped for air. His chest burned at the slightest movement, while every other part of him felt stiff and rigid, with prickles going up and down his muscles when he tried to shift or move just a inch. And, incredibly enough, he had enough hunger pangs to down a Sky Bison.

Despite that, he gritted his teeth, taking a deep breath and holding it as he managed to sit himself up, his bare back propped against the headboard. He tipped his head back with a gasp as he stared upwards with twitching eyes, biting down the grunts as he clamped a hand on his throbbing shoulder and breathed in and out. His vision swam, making it impossible to focus on anything other than his hand.

With sweat dripping down his forehead he looked down, seeing that his stomach was covered in soft white bandages, as was his shoulder, with a rectangular bulge visible just under the thin fabric covering it. He swallowed, memories rushing back, remembering the rain, remembering the wind, remembering the pain.

Tai screwed his eyes shut, instinctively reaching a hand to his shoulder as a lance of pain sprouted and shot through his entire body. His fingers twitched and his hand shook terribly as he failed to stop a loud groaning gasp that filled the room.

In his swimming vision he managed to make out something at the far end, catching a brief glimpse of brown skin and a blue shirt. The girl stirred and her eyes slowly opened, head held up by her arm standing on the armrest.

Everything, every confusing detail flooded back to him in one giant wave, swamping his head and dashing any attempts at focus, working in tandem with the pain running through him to stop any attempts at communication or even movement.

She quickly stood up and came closer, coming around the side of the bed he laid in with a ribbon of water streaming into her hand. Korra knelt in front of him, fuzzy and distorted but still clearly there. "Hold still." he heard her say in muted tones.

The healing water pulsed a soft blue as it touched his shoulder, putting goosebumps on the skin there as it seeped through the bandages into the vicious wound below. His eyes widened, remembering the cold gripping him and his world darkening. He remembered Telei.

He remembered the ruined temple. And he remembered he was not the only there.

"Brother-" he went to say when Korra shushed him, her eyes on his the entire time. He shook his head, even as shivers wracked his body. "Where is he? Where!" he was shouting, but that didn't matter.

Korra's shocked expression only made him angrier. The girl's face grew stony as she narrowed her eyes, pinning him to the headboard with one hand and using her other to guide the water across his body. "He's not here." she muttered.

"Wha-" Flashes of the rain came back, and the wind, and the fallen form of his brother. He had, Telei had-

He had _failed_.

Tai's eyes narrowed as he stared off into blank space, and his fists tightened unknown to Korra as she pored over his wounds.

He had been too late.

"How long was I out?" he whispered with a shaky voice, staring at the wall past her head. When she didn't answer immediately he shot a look at her. "How long?"

"Almost three weeks." she answered in a whisper. The water retreated back into the girl's satchel as she shot a quick glance at him. "I need to unwrap your bandages." Her hand movements were skittish as she started unwinding the bandages from his shoulder, never touching him for more than a second and occasionally losing grip on the bandage's end a few times. Each time this happened she shot a quick glance at him, almost like she expected some kind of reaction.

But he didn't do anything. He just focused on the wall ahead, his teeth gritted as the burning sensation coursed through him, vividly present in his right arm where the wound was. In the corner of his sight he could see the twisted, blackened rent, its surface shiny and rough. It marred the skin on his shoulder, and if he cared to look for more than a second he could spot faded black tendrils underneath his skin.

Once the bindings were unwrapped from his chest, his breathing was no longer constricted, clearing his head a little as Korra bunched up the bandages and put them to one side. The Avatar wiped her hands on her furskirt and shuffled back on her knees to give him space. She stared at him in silence for so many seconds.

The boy stared back. His eyes narrowed. His fists still bunched as a storm raged in his thoughts. Her. It was all _her_.

When she came closer, a small breath escaping her as she shuffled forwards, but the look in his eyes stopped her cold.

He locked gazes with her. The small action made her shrink back a little but she didn't fully retreat. "Tai?" Slowly, she lifted her hand, keeping gaze with him.

Her fingers brushed against his. He snatched his hand back, shirking from her.

Korra dropped her gaze and shuffled back, getting off the bed and walking out of the room without anything else to say.

He hung his head and groaned, clamping his good hand on his belly as he pressed against the headboard for more support. His thoughts swirled in the dark place they were in, keeping him with dubious company in the silence that fell over the room.

Closing his eyes, he was immediately assaulted by a confusing array of images,of her and him, of Telei, of Tarrin, of his faliure. All of this acted in tandem to suppress any clear direction from shining through.

The sound of wood sliding on wood managed to dash the confusion somewhat, giving something to focus on as Jinora peered in and stepped into the room with a relieved expression. The little girl hesitated before the bed, her hands clasped together as she looked at the floorboards.

Something made her look up and jump onto the bed, marching straight across the sheets and wrapping her arms around his neck. "We missed you."

He froze instantly.

* * *

Korra finally came to a stop at the top of the hill, standing inside the blue-roofed pagoda with her hands bunched into fists by her sides.

Somehow she had managed to avoid contact with anyone, although she nearly bumped straight into Howl while walking past the White Lotus sentry outpost. The wind blowing through the curved beams of the pavilion had a slight damp feel to it, something she welcomed as she managed to stop wringing her hands and move forwards, leaning on the railing and staring at the water below, grey from the lack of sunlight courtesy of the thick clouds above.

After a few conflicting seconds she started wringing her wrists, pacing back and forth with her thoughts in disarray. Confusion had her in its grip, over a lot of things, over what she was supposed to do now, over figuring out why she couldn't talk to Aang earlier, and over him.

She closed her eyes, her face screwing up in concentration as she batted away every distraction she could, trying to find her center and find Aang again. She needed his guidance now, more than ever.

The absence was still there.

Korra growled as her hands tightened around the intricately carved railing, her frustation mounting until the wood cracked under her grip, and smoke lifted from the broken gaps, glowing a cheery red. She whipped her hands up before she got burned, staring at them and back down at the wood.

"Korra! Man, we've been looking all over for you!" Hurriedly she turned around to see Bolin and Asami walking into the shelter of the pagoda, both of them smiling at her. She returned the smile with a unsure nod.

Asami smiled, already seeing that something was bugging Korra. "There were a few reporters on the ferry with us, luckily they're stuck at the pier..." She exchanged a glance with Bolin when she saw that Korra wasn't reacting at all to what she said. "Korra? Everything alright?"

Korra looked up at the two of them, constantly lacing and unlacing her fingers. Her eyes had a downcast look to them as she offered a weak smile. "He's awake."

"Wha-" Bolin beamed and held his arms out wide. "-Tai? Finally, some good news. This is perfect but-" Pabu wormed his way out from his collar, staring at Korra and chittering. Bolin stopped with a confused expression on him when he saw that Korra looked... uncomfortable. "Isn't that great news? Korra?"

"He nearly died." she muttered. "And-" She shook her head with a grimace. Before she could anything both Bolin and Asami wrapped their arms around her, keeping her close as her eyes grew wet. She didn't want to tell them that it was most likely her fault he ran off like that, or that she tried something so _stupid_ to stop him from going.

She wanted to stay like that, hidden from her troubles and problems and just focus on the fact that they were there to support her, but she knew she had to face up to her problems, confront them, and put them behind her. Korra gently nudged the two of them away from her with a weak smile. "I really needed that."

Asami felt there was something else still gnawing at Korra, but didn't say anything.

Bolin simply beamed, happy to help her in anyway he could. "I know things were pretty gloomy, Korra. But that's behind you now! Everyone's okay. Tenzin's all good, Tai's woken up and Republic City is safe."

Korra glanced between the two of them, before taking a deep breath and turning away for a second and wondering if she should tell them.

Her eyes narrowed. She needed to put this behind her.

She exhaled and turned around to face them, wringing her hands and finding it hard to keep eye contact with them and not the ground instead. "There's something I need to tell you guys." Something forced her words to tumble out without grace, and as she locked eyes with Asami she saw a knowing look in the older girl's eyes.

Once again Korra took a deep breath, painfully aware of the silence inside the pavilion. "Okay-" Her throat threatened to seize up on her but she ignored it, pressing on. "So, um, this was... this was shortly after I visited your hospital room, Bolin. I found out that he was going to face Telei on his own, such a stupid idea, but I went to stop him and that's when, uh..." Korra's own thoughts tripped over themselves as she slowly shrunk under the curious expressions of Asami and Bolin. She sighed and stared down at her feet. "Something happened between us."

"Oh." Bolin was quiet, he glanced at Korra with a newound nervousness, pushing the tips of his fingers together trying to figure out how to react to a topic he had no experience whatsoever in.

"It was such a stupid thing, but I wasn't really thinking and there was not much time and I-"

Asami stopped her outpour with a nod, grasping Korra's hands. "Korra. How are you feeling?"

She blinked twice with her mouth hanging open. Korra drew in a sharp breath. "Messed. Utterly messed." Her voice was barely above a squeak.

Without a word and hardly any motion at all, Bolin and Asami stepped in to give her another hug.

"What do I do?" Korra whispered.

"You need to sort this out with him." Came Asami's answer.

Guilt and indecision wracked Korra, rendering her unable to do anything but nod her chin up and down.

* * *

He gritted his teeth and stopped, bracing his hand against the nearby railing and bending over to hack out a few coughs. In front of him Jinora stopped and looked back, worry on her features as she held onto his hand. "Do you need to rest?"

Tai had his sights on the hill ahead, on the bald and tall figure and the equally tall and long-haired woman standing on its top. His eyes narrowed. "No, I'm fine." He didn't know what to think as he allowed Jinora to help him across the courtyard.

A grunt escaped him as he stumbled forwards, pushing into Jinora's back. The little girl quickly stopped to steady him, about to open her mouth when he shot a look at her. "I can make it." He ignored the cold wind prickling the skin on his chest, shoulders and arms.

Wordlessly, Jinora nodded, slowly moving forward and helping him along the last reaches of the courtyard, towards the path winding its way up the side of the hill.

Every once in a while the little girl looked over her shoulder at him when he lagged or struggled to go up the hill, a little disturbed by his complete silence apart from a few ragged breaths and grunts of exertion. Jinora couldn't help focusing on the black and gnarled gash clearly visible on his shoulder every time, only looking away when he caught her.

His eyes no longer had that warm or gentle edge to them that he usually took care to hide whenever around anyone else but her or her siblings, instead they were simply grey. Blank.

At the top of the hill her arm tugged backwards and she came to a stop. Tai had stopped moving, standing stock still as he stared at the backs of her father and his mother a short distance ahead, conversing quietly.

She waited as Tenzin turned around using the cane Lin sculpted for him as a support. Above her, Tai's eyes widened only for a instant before they darkened again. "Master."

The woman quickly took of without a word down the other side of the hill, leaving the three of them there. Jinora glanced at Tai, who stared at the ground with a unreadable look. She looked at her father, who gave a slight nod.

Slowly she let go of Tai's fingers, lingering in case he needed her support before walking down the hill after the woman.

Tenzin had a soft look in his eyes as he watched his student, taking in the haggard stance, his battered body language, and most telling, his sunken expression.

Despite all that the boy's tone was strong as he inclined his head. "Master."

"Tai, how are you feeling?" Tenzin couldn't help the worry in his words, even knowing that the boy would never let him forget it.

"I can walk." Tai replied, grunting as he hobbled up the hill, hand clamped on his side. "Any word of him?"

"No." Tenzin cut him off, knowing that every fiber of the boy wanted to find Telei again. Considering what had happened recently he didn't blame. Still, what concerned him more was Telei's intentions. He still had no idea what he was up to, and knowing that Korra was his target that meant bringing up something Tai would surely want to forget. "Tai. I need to know what happened when you found Telei."

"I fought him." The boy stared down at his feet, his face a blank mask. "And I found out what he wants with Korra." The very thought of the girl almost made him stop, but he ignored the confusion about her, focusing on what he saw at the ruined temple. "He wants to get into the Spirit World and kill Koh the Facestealer."

It dawned on Tenzin with horrible clarity as to why he had been after Korra this entire time. She was the bridge between them and the Spirit World. She had a intrinsic connection to the spirits and their realm. He remembered her recount of the corrupted spirits that had attacked her and Bolin, almost the same as the ones Tai had encountered while lost in the blizzard. Was that Telei's doing? Was that his intention? Or an accident?

Tenzin shook the thoughts away and focused on his student, particularly on the black scar. Luring the boy out into the cold where the spirits were waiting, getting injured by the spirits to try and replicate the methods the old monks used to enter the Spirit World without harm. Tai was his contingency.

A sense of disquiet entered Tenzin as he glanced at his student, knowing that whatever the cost, he couldn't be allowed to go after Telei. For now, he had to put the matter to rest, and focus on something much more daunting. The boy's mother.

Tenzin nodded stiffly, glancing out of the corner of his eye at Jinora and Talisa further down the hill, standing in front of a raised portion of dark soil. "Your mother was by your side the entire time."

"Making up for lost time, is she?" Tai muttered, his voice hard to hear above the wind. He stared at his feet. "Huh. Figures."

The airbender didn't say anything, merely shaking his head with a sigh and glancing at his student. "Are you angry at her?"

"For leaving on some big trip to Republic City? Not being there for us? Or my dad? Oh no, of course I'm not angry at her." Tai shook his head with a grunt as Tenzin nodded.

"When am I training with Zuko? Where is he anyway?" Tai turned his thoughts away from the topic of his mother, focusing on how he could better himself the next time he ran into Telei. Embers of rage filled him whenever the thought of the old man came up.

"He is out on a errand." Tenzin kept his calm mask on as he glanced at the boy. "He won't be back for a while. In any case, there is another matter you need to see to." He turned and placed a hand on his student's good shoulder. "Go to her." With that he steadied himself and left down the hill, leaving Tai alone on its top.

The boy's eyes narrowed as he looked up at the grey sky, his hands shaking as he bunched them into fists. He hobbled down the hillside to the small grassy knoll where his mother and Jinora both were, kneeling in front of a small and neatly arranged mound of dirt and soil. The boy's thoughts turned inwards, and he didn't once look at the mound as he came close to where they knelt.

Jinora saw him coming and stood up, turning to incline her head to Talisa before moving off before Tai got there, her walking slightly hurried.

Tai's eyes narrowed as he kept his back turned to the woman, focusing on using one hand to keep his injured arm still against his side.

Behind him, the woman stood up and dusted her hands off. "Jinora told me how you have a home here. She told me how you helped rescue them during that whole business with the Equalists, and during a visit to the Southern Air Temple. She's a very bright girl. She also told me how you've been training under Tenzin, learning airbending with the Avatar." Talisa said with a shaky voice, her words echoing with the wind before she bowed her head. "Your sword arm is injured." Her eyes were wet as she beheld the wound on her son's shoulder.

Tai didn't move, or acknowledge her voice. He continued staring at the ground, feeling the burning in his injured arm he glanced at his shoulder, at the huge and grotesque black scar. His eyes narrowed.

"I know I don't have much right to even be talking to you right now. Spirits, I know _that_." The woman looked over her shoulder at him and chuckled. "But- every time I see how much you've grown I forget that."

"Where were you?" he whispered. "This entire time, you were out there? And you didn't think of finding me? Actually trying to be my mother?"

"Tai-"

"I don't care what your reasons are. I don't care if it was too 'dangerous', or that you had no 'clue' that I was alive or that you had some duty to the world that somehow stopped you from taking care of your _son. _Five years since dad died, that entire time you could have at least looked for me."

"Tai, I tried but you disappeared-"

"Then why didn't you try harder? Tarrin was out there too, why didn't you try and find him too?" His breathing quickened as his anger rose. "Our lives were turned upside down and you weren't there to help us. We were alone. I _was_ alone." Tai didn't even look at her. "I don't even know why you showed up. I've done just fine on my own without you."

The woman didn't answer him that time, only touching her arm and hanging her head with a single nod. "I won't bother you. But if you need me, I'll do anything-"

Tai rounded on her, his grey eyes blazing. "Save it. I don't need you at all."

He didn't stir as his mother nodded, her hands tightening into fists for a second before relaxing them and walking away from him, leaving the boy alone on the grey windswept cliffs.

Once he was alone, he noticed a strange shimmer in the air in the corner of his vision. For a moment two pinpricks of sickly golden light hung there, before dissipating with a unintelligible whisper in his ears.

* * *

Waves always calmed her. She watched them, crashing against the tangled rocks below the cliff, the roaring as the water rushed and dashed itself against the sheer rock sounding almost rhythmic to her ears. Sometimes, when it was just her and the water, she felt like it was where she was the safest.

No problems. No guilt. No confusion. Nothing to worry about.

Korra sighed, her hands laced over the tops of her knees and her chin resting on them as she watched the darkening clouds above, choking the sky and stopping the setting sun's rays from shining onto the water, leaving the bay dark and colorless apart from the occasional fishing trawler or, if she squinted hard enough, the low curved profile of Verick's yacht, the lights from its windows spilling out on the water around it.

Republic City's buildings, bathed in golden light and the noise of countless lives, almost sparkled from where they sat in the vast distance. She grimaced, knowing that Bolin and Asami were up at her mansion, most likely worrying about her or about their own problems. She knew they wanted to stay with her and make sure she was fine, Bolin especially, but she told them she would be fine.

As for Mako... whenever her thoughts turned to the troublesome firebender, she didn't know what to do. The time they spent actually liking each other seemed so long ago, and every moment she spent dwelling on it, the more she wished she could go back to it. Anything was better than her current situation.

She had stopped herself from staring at her hand each time she felt the urge, knowing that it would only increase her sense of confusion trying to work out why her firebending was so erratic.

"Niece. May I talk to you?" Korra lifted her head off her knees and peered over her shoulder at her uncle, his hands clasped behind his back and his expression stern but soft.

"Uncle? Um-" she shook her head, glad that she could focus on conversation rather than the problems facing her. He stopped next to her, ice blue eyes studying the waters below the cliff. "Is everything alright?"

"No."

His answer crushed her wishful thinking that at least something could go right for once. She didn't show it, instead raising her eyebrow in curiosity. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want to burden you with this-" the stern and rigid man closed his eyes and expelled a sharp breath. He opened them again. "But I wanted to talk to you about the spirits you encountered in the blizzard at the South Pole, while looking for your friend."

At the thought of the unnatural entities a shiver ran down her spine. "What about them?" Behind her eyes, she saw the black shapes moving in the windswept darkness, the burning slits they had for eyes dancing around like mad flames, of all sorts of colors both possible and impossible. She focused on her uncle as much as possible.

"Before your parents left with you on the trek back to Inna, I had a... heated... discussion with your father." Unalaq straightened his shoulders. "As head of the Northern and Southern Water Tribes it is my duty to protect our people, Korra. The spirit attacks have gotten worse, and more people have been disappearing from both Tribes. I tried to get through to your father, but he refused to believe it."

Korra knew what he was talking about. During her childhood her father never really told her much about the spirits, leaving the stories and folklore to her mother. He taught her the basics of waterbending, how to survive in the snow, and how to track as a hunter, but not how to deal with horrendous beings corrupted to the point of insatiable rage. "What can I do?" She lowered her gaze again. She couldn't even protect her friends properly.

"Your father and I may not get along very well, but neither of us want to put you in harms way. But... you're the Avatar. I have to look past the fact that you are my niece. I fear the attacks are spreading, and unless we do something about them they will only get worse." Unalaq looked down at her. "Soon, your cousins and I will be travelling back to the Capital. When we do, I want you to come with us. If these spirits appear again, I want to properly prepare you to better face them."

She looked up at him, and something made her hold out her palm and try to light a flame. He arched his eyebrow as nothing but sparks lit the air. "I can't."

"Is something wrong?" He muttered, looking away from her for a moment.

"I wish I could go with you. I know that I have to prepare myself in case I face those spirits again and I know you are one of the only people in the world who can help me. For some reason, my firebending is totally out of whack, and I need to find out why."

Unalaq stared out at the ocean, and nodded stiffly. "I... don't know if I agree with that course of action, but it's your path, Korra. I only hope that these attacks and disappearances do not worsen in the near future."

* * *

Tenzin rubbed his temples, loosing a explosive sigh as he lifted his hand, circulating the air inside the room a little more to keep awake a little while longer.. Tomorrow, he knew Pema was going to lecture him on staying up so late finishing council work. He leaned forwards and blinked away the sleep, refocusing on the paperwork in front of him and trying to ignore the ones with the gold and white council seal on the front.

He knew what they were and his answer was going to be the same to Wu and Pok. Reporters were not welcome on Air Temple Island and he wasn't going to let them in just so they could hound Korra in a endless circus act. "Argh." he leaned back in the chair, hearing the curved wood squeak as he closed his eyes and breathed outwards.

The ticking little clock standing on the corner of his desk caught his attention as it made a little click once the hour hand reached the top of the clock. He reached a hand to let out a little more flame on the table lantern next to it, the light easier on his eyes then it would be from a electrical source.

Wiping his hand across his mouth a half-muffled yawn came out of him as he dropped the pencil and began rubbing his temples again. He grunted at a stab of pain coming from his lower ribs. Tenzin held a hand to his side, reminded again of how he needed the cane to move about without hurting himself now.

What Tai told him about the man's plans still loomed on him. And every moment he could spare he devoted to figuring out just how Telei was going to accomplish the frankly impossible feat. Not to mention that he didn't care about the collateral damage or the lives lost in the process.

Then again, since Aang had found him wandering the desert alone, he knew that Telei had different priorities.

A small noise of someone padding across the floorboards with bare feet put his thoughts to rest.

Tenzin stood up from the desk, his expression pensive as he walked out of his study and into the hallway. Korra stood in front of him, her eyes downcast and hair knotted and rough from a fitful sleep. He grimaced. "Is everything alright?"

"Just... uh... just restless." the girl murmured, her hands pinching and twisting the hem of her tank top in obvious nervousness.

He nodded. "I can see that."

She gave him a look at the wry smirk on his face as he stepped back, allowing her space to come into the study. Korra gave him a short nod as she came past him, stopping for a moment before sitting down on one of the wooden sofas with their backs against windows. The girl kept her arms wrapped around her sides as Tenzin took a seat next to her. "I couldn't really sleep."

Tenzin clasped his hands, knowing she was taking her time in talking about what really bothered her.

"So, um, how've you been doing, with the cane?"

"Fine. Lin's good with her hands."

Korra nodded. "Greatest metalbender in the world, right?"

"Exactly." Tenzin smiled at her, patiently waiting.

The girl dropped her gaze, going back to looking at the floor. "Y'know, I didn't think it was gonna play out like this."

He didn't say anything to interrupt her, merely giving her a nod.

"I thought everything was going to be alright, now that everyone's alright and nothing's going on. But I'm just confused and scared. Because of Telei. Because of the Agni Kais, because of the spirits." Her voice dropped. "Because of him."

Tenzin didn't know what she meant by that, but nodded anyway.

She looked at him. "Tenzin. I tried talking to Aang. But he couldn't hear me. I don't know why or how, or if its connected to my firebending going nuts, but whenever I try reaching for him, I can't find anything. I try to focus on talking to him but I can't and maybe-"

His hand on her shoulder stopped her words from tumbling any further. "Korra. Calm down." Another stab of pain came from his side and he gritted his teeth, but bared it. "I know a lot has happened over the past few weeks so fast. But you need to slow down and focus, and try to figure out why this is happening." He saw the depressed look on her, and offered a apologetic smile. "I'm afraid I do not know how to solve this problem for you. Believe me, I would do so in a heartbeat, Korra. But this time, I think you need to look inward."

Korra watched as he grabbed his cane and stood up from the sofa. "Hopefully Pema won't notice me coming back to bed so late." She stood up, ready to lend a hand or help him over when he smiled at her. "Good night, Korra."

She stopped as he left the room, closing the door behind him. A few seconds passed before she slowly moved back to the sofa, sitting back on it and wringing her wrists as she tried to follow Tenzin's advice to her. Slow down. Focus.

The girl managed to stave off the thoughts always threatening to drag her down, and closed her eyes with a deep breath. Putting her fists together she concentrated on her natural rhythm, trying to stay in tune with it as she withdrew deeper and deeper within herself.

The darkness was there to greet her. It pulled and pulled at her concentration, and the girl nearly gave in to it before managing to keep her attention on her rhythm, lulling herself by the sound of her own regular breaths.

Her eyes opened, and she felt goosebumps all over as she woke up in a alien landscape, completely different from Tenzin's study. It was a icy tundra, with a forest of short trees with twisted limbs surrounding her. Korra turned around, the golden glow from a brilliant column of softly twisting light spearing upwards from the icy rocks into the sky. She followed it upwards, getting chills at the sight of a vivid ribbon of green and blue lights in the absolutely clear night sky.

A strange breeze blowing towards her made her look down again and her heart skipped a beat at the shapes and forms surrounding her, standing between the trees, burning slits of every color watching her without blinking. Their skin was black, and their eyes tore at her-

Korra gasped as her eyes flew open, a cold sweat forming across her forehead.

* * *

火


	4. The Firestorm, and the Anger

**Chapter 4**

**A/N**

**So this chapter everything starts to flow a little faster. And trouble comes once again for Korra and her friends, especially now that Tai is up and about. And dangerously pissed. As for the Equalists... they'll have a part to play, but their role will be small.**

**It's always fun writing these out, and it's always fun reading those reviews and criticisms.**

* * *

火

* * *

_Sato Estate._

Only one of the huge windows inside the room was open, and even then only a small portion, to allow a little bit of the cold morning air in to clear her head as she stared blankly at the gigantic ledger taking up the desk she sat behind, its pages filled with innumerable tables of expenses, expenditures, tax deductions, business transactions, the very sort of work that Asami feared doing.

She loathed it with a passion, which was the exact reason why she had forced herself to deal with it now, early in the day, to ensure it was over and done with and that she wouldn't put it off any longer.

Asami sighed and the skin under her eyes, rolling her shoulders as she had another attempt at working out the final result of the ledger's information.

A rapping noise made her look up from her torturous task, seeing Iroh standing in the doorway, his hands clasped behind his back and expression neutral. She couldn't suppress the yawn that came out of her as she nodded. "Iroh."

"Asami. I apologize for the early hour."

"No. It's fine. Come in." Asami closed the huge book, both sides meeting with a meaty thud. She pushed it to the side and shifted in the seat to stop the pins and pricks sensation crawling up the back of her legs and back. She had to say, she very much envied how Iroh was able to look impeccable no matter what time of the day it was.

Iroh glanced at the ledger. "Still trying to figure that stuff out?"

She blew a raspberry and nodded. "It wasn't just _you_ I was teaching how to use it." She offered a wry grin, which Iroh returned.

He came closer. "I just wanted to apologize for my conduct earlier, Asami." The general looked down, chewing the corner of his lip for a few seconds. He looked up at her. "It was not my place to ask so candidly about your father." His golden eyes narrowed. "My grandfather has been through your situation. And I can't even hope to know what it's been like for you."

She had tried putting her to the back of her mind, focusing on getting Future Industries up and running again without having to deal with her father ever again. But try as she might, every night she couldn't help staring at the strange little weapon's black and brass finish, trying her hardest to figure out what her father was up with the resurrected Equalists. Asami's smile shrunk a little, but didn't go away. "I'm not sure what to do about them, Iroh. Do you know if they've made any moves?"

"That's the troubling thing. They're completely gone. The abandoned depot under the terminal is empty." Iroh remembered seeing all of those mecha tanks, the huge crowd of people, with entire squads of chi-blockers patrolling the entire massive space. That many people and hardware couldn't just disappear without leaving some kind of trace. "Through some of Verick's... underground... contacts, he found out that the entire area is deserted. Whatever your father is up to, Asami, Republic City isn't the focus. And the Equalists are gone."

The doorknobs on the double doors behind him squeaked and rattled, stopping Iroh and getting his and Asami's attention.

Asami gave Iroh a nod and the general moved towards the doors, pulling them open to see both Verick and Bolin standing there, their ears now resting against nothing but empty air.

The two of them grinned as he grabbed the collars of their tanktops, dragging them into Asami's study. He swung them around with a dark look on his face, sending them stumbling to a stop in front of the desk. Bolin scratched the back of his neck and quickly jerked his thumb to indicate Verick. "It was all _him_." he whispered loudly. The earthbender chuckled weakly and pushed the tips of his fingers together.

Verick glanced at him and rolled his eyes, then back at Asami. "So _that's_ who those mask wearing chi blocking guys at the station were."

The girl shook her head. "Everything?"

"Oh, pretty much."

"Hiroshi is still _around?!_" Bolin's jaw hung in disbelief, especially when he saw the look of worry on her. "Spirits, Asami-"

Iroh held up his hand, stepping towards Bolin. "We have it under control-"

Bolin turned around and stabbed a finger into Iroh's chest, surprising the firebender. "Sure, mr United Forces! But I'm not gonna let them try and take my bending again without a fight so-"

"Bolin, _please_." He quietened down immediately at the pleading in Asami's voice. "You can't tell anyone about this. If word gets out..." she stood up from the chair, staring at the ledger. "Future Industries will be forced to shut down." Her gaze shifted, slowly settling on a small faded picture on the corner of the desk of her family when she was just a kid. Mother's happy eyes gave her strength.

The room was quiet for several moments as everybody looked at the girl, at just how much it was tearing her up not to reveal anything about this. The entire city was going to be plunged into danger because of her if she didn't tell anyone, and with the police focusing on combating the Agni Kais and investigating any leads as to what the Red Monsoons are planning next, if her father decided that now was a good time to invade the city with everything he had there would not be much resistance. Asami remembered some of her mother's words to her, after she had

Making her decision, for better or worse, the girl suddenly closed her eyes and exhaled a sharp breath, before opening them again and giving a determined nod. "But people have to know. No matter the cost. Korra especially." She stood up and walked around the huge desk, stopping before the open doors. "Bolin, how about we go pay Korra a visit?"

* * *

_Air Temple Island._

Tenzin raised his hand to stroke his beard in worry for the hundredth time since the morning began, knowing that he shouldn't have let Zuko convince him to allow Tai to begin training again.

"Tenzin. Everything is prepared." He looked up, remembering that Lin was there. Tenzin nodded. "Thank you, Lin."

"No need. The academy would have thrown them in the scrap anyway." She lingered for a moment before she looked at the cane. "How's it holding up?"

"The construction is impeccable and the metal is finely balanced. I have to thank the builder one day."

Lin smirked and glanced away. "Yeah." she gently elbowed him in the shoulder. "Hopefully you won't need it for too long. Now, I'll be waiting for you at the sparring field."

"Okay." Tenzin watched as she turned and headed down the leading to the clearing, disappearing from sight soon after.

The old firebender came over with his hands clasped behind his back, and hood down, the faded red scar over his eye prominent. He said nothing, merely standing next to Tenzin as they heard footsteps coming down the dirt path that cut through the bamboo forest. "How are your wounds?"

"Manageable. Thank you for the concern..." Tenzin's grip tightened on his cane, his eyebrows furrowed. "I'm more worried about Tai's though. Should we be letting him train so soon?"

"It will help his body recover. And I think he's been here long enough for you to know he won't expect anything less."

"Hmm. I hope you're right."

"I was the Firelord for seventy-one years. I like to think I am." The old man chuckled and gave Tenzin a wry smirk, winking at him with his scarred eye. Zuko shook his head with a sigh just as he caught sight of Korra coming into the clearing. Jinora, Ikki and Meelo trailed behind her. Kaze followed them closely, sniffing at the air. Just before they came into earshot he glanced at Tenzin. "I just hope they're both up to it."

"Zuko?" Korra stopped in her tracks with a surprised smile as Kaze slipped past her side and trotted to Zuko, sitting in front of him and getting a pat on the head. "You're here too?" She glanced at Tenzin.

He nodded as his children stopped alongside Korra, with Jinora closest to her and Ikki and Meelo furthest. "I suggested to Zuko that we do the gate exercise as a way to clear your mind and ready yourself for the main part of today's training.

Tenzin quickly noticed the curiosity filled gleam in Jinora's eyes, and before his oldest daughter could being her avalanche of questions directed to the former Fire Lord, he cleared his throat loudly and shook his head. _Not now._ He mouthed to her.

Jinora pouted, but didn't say anything.

Behind where everyone stood, Tenzin spotted Tai as he came into the clearing, immediately veering in the opposite of Korra's direction and ending up standing next to Meelo, arms folded and chin tucked as he kept his eyes staring straight ahead with a neutral mask on.

He easily picked up the nervous glance Korra threw the boy's way, and before everything could fall apart Zuko stepped forward. "Now that everyone is here, I think we can begin."

"Why are they here?" Tai addressed Tenzin directly, now staring straight at him.

"Jinora is here to spin the gates for you and Korra to maneuver through in place of myself. Ikki and Meelo came along to observe, when they're older they will be taught to do the same."

Tenzin couldn't help a little smile at the way Meelo puffed out his chest with pride and Ikki hopped up and down excitedly on the spot clapping her hands.

"But, why are we doing something meant for airbending?" Korra asked, scratching the side of her face.

"Because you and Tai are used to this method of training. The gates are perfect for determining how physically capable the two of you are, and while there is no disputing that with you, Korra, Tai has only recently recovered from a traumatic wound." only briefly did Zuko's voice drop away a little, before it was back to normal again. The old man's eyes narrowed for a moment but he quickly blinked.

He looked at Jinora. "Young lady. Can you start the gates?" Clasping his hands behind his back, Zuko moved off to the side.

"It would be my honor, Sifu Zuko." Jinora clasped her hands and inclined her head in his direction, before moving forwards towards the rim of the dais on which the wooden flatboards stood on thin poles, intricate swirls and eddies painted onto their surface in detail and loving care.

The little girl took a deep breath as she stopped close to her father, a unsure smile on her before she breathed out and thrust her palm forward, sliding her foot forwards in tandem.

Immediately the wind picked up to a keening howl as it rushed through the gates, flowing past them and sending them spinning together at a furious speed, enough to produce a constant but low rattling noise that permeated the training area.

Jinora moved next to her father and gave Zuko a nod as Meelo and Ikki ran over to join her.

Zuko smiled at the little girl before indicating Korra. "Since you two are used to this method of training, I thought it best you use them to prepare for the next exercise. Korra, you're up first."

The girl stepped forward and nodded. "Right. Here we go." She found herself looking at Tai again and quickly stopped herself, looking away and clenching her jaw as she strode with purpose towards the gates, focusing on her center as she had done before.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Zuko focus on the path up to the training area behind her. She glanced over her shoulder, seeing Bolin and Asami come up the path. Asami had a pensive look on her before she saw Korra, and smiled. The two of them glanced in Tai's direction as they moved past him, before going towards Tenzin.

"Hello, you two." Tenzin nodded at Asami and Bolin. "Come to observe?"

"Don't worry, sir. We won't distract Korra." Bolin held up his hands, before a devious smile settled on him as he looked at Korra. "Much."

Tenzin nodded and turned his attention back to Korra. He watched as she stopped and took a deep breath, settling into a runner's stance and staring only at the gates. She took off a second later, not slowing as she reached the edge of the dais. The outer ring of spinning gates greeted her, each one drawing her attention for a moment before she stopped and kept her focus on the gaps, imagining a leaf on the wind in front of her, guiding her through the confusing labyrinth.

The girl heaved a breath as she twisted and weaved around the first gate, almost falling into the second before hopping away at the last second and twisting her body once more, contorting to side-step through the next gap with only inches to spare on both sides. She sucked in her gut as she leaned her upper body forwards and dove in between them, the next pair now only millimeters away from her nose. She quickly springed up, stopping for a moment as she found herself in the center of the confusing maelstrom.

"Go, Korra!" She barely heard Bolin's voice over the din, taking a deep breath and continuing forwards, her arms up as she twirled around the next gate, breathing out and reversing direction for a moment, eyes constantly focused on the clear space now only a few meters away. As she twisted around, she could see through the forest of gates to the other side where she started, finding a pair of grey eyes staring straight back at her.

She shook her head and gasped as she came within a hair's breadth of smacking straight into a gate. Korra managed to twist back at the last second, weaving her way past it and coming out the other side. Panting for breath, she quickly moved away from the gates. Bolin and Asami jogged towards her with smiles on.

"Good job!" Asami said, clapping her shoulder as she regained her breath. Korra nodded wordlessly, still staring through the gates at Tai as he came up next.

The boy ignored the burning sensation in his ribs as he rolled his shoulders, and nodded at Zuko. "Ready."

Zuko returned the nod. "Then go."

With the gates still spinning Tai ran forwards, immediately feeling the burning intensify and his breaths beginning to labor. He shook his head as he neared the outer ring, and grunted as he twisted to fit through them. Pins and prickles ran up his side, nearly making him stumble and lose his footing. Tai gritted his teeth, and with a shaky gasp kept going, even as one of the gates came out of nowhere and slammed into his shoulder.

The boy's roar echoed around the clearing as he was shunted back. He quickly recovered, clamping one hand on his shoulder and throwing his other hand forwards enclosed as a fist. The air shook and shimmered in front of it as a blast of air slammed into the offending board, snapping the thin pole supporting it and pulverizing the intricate swirling imagery with ease.

Tai gritted his teeth as his breaths completely occupied his hearing as he came to the final series of boards standing in his way. He turned his shoulder to them and pushed through, finally stumbling out the other side. In the clear. He ignored the worried looks coming from Asami and Bolin, straightening and moving away from them.

When Kaze came wheeling around the side of the gates towards him, the boy growled and stalked away. The spirit-wolf whined and came to a stop.

Tenzin and Zuko shared a look with one another.

* * *

_Dragon Flats District, Republic City._

The motorcycle's engine whined loudly, filling his ears and stopping him from hearing much else but the wind whipping past his ears and the squeal of the tires as he banked around the next curve in the narrow road, clear parklands replacing the apartment blocks and rows of shops on either side of him.

Mako's eyes narrowed behind the visor as his thoughts kept going to the same question he'd been asking himself over the past couple of days, ever since he had been put back on the case against the Agni Kais. He had found no trace of any of their activities, not even the brand of street muggings they were known for or just simple break and bolt jobs. None of them had surfaced, let alone Oranis or Kazon.

The 'meeting' he had with the leader of the Agni Kais was something he didn't like hanging around. But with the knowledge that Kazon was the one who murdered his parents on that night, whether it was just for money, for survival, or just anger. It didn't matter to Mako, he would not live if he ever saw him again.

A even more unpleasant thought came up. Bolin needed to know. It was only after the millionth time he had thought over it and Dread and fear filled him thinking about it even now, but he had to do it. And better it came from him. Bolin might end up hating him for it, but hopefully he could live with that. Maybe.

Up ahead the higher reaches of the Sato Estate came into sight, the three hills it sat on separated from his road by a thick grey wall. He followed the road along until it branched into a single lane, running straight towards the large and sturdily built gatehouse, standing around a heavy wrought-iron gate barring the one-way road into the estate, the gear logo of the Sato family and Future Industries sat in the center, made of polished yellow brass.

A guard in a simple grey uniformed came out from a side-door in the archway the gate blocked as Mako brought the bike to a standstill, taking off his helmet and running a gloved hand through his tussled hair. "Uh, hey. I'm Officer Mako, I need to see my brother, he's living here as Asami's-"

The guard quickly nodded and waved for him to go ahead. "I know who you are, sir. Ms Sato still has you on the VIP list."

Surprised, Mako watched as the guard disappeared into the gatehouse, reappearing in a small room with consoles lining the walls. He hung his head to pull on his helmet, having had no idea that Asami still had him on the list. Must have forgotten to take him off. "Huh." he murmured as the gates smoothly receded into the walls, giving him the way through.

Mako grimaced when he caught a glance of a squat but large building just off the lane, built on a lower part of the hill on the edge of the property. What they found in there lead to so many things. Korra's suspicions had proved right in the end, but in the process Asami's life had been changed forever. He was still a little ashamed to know that there wasn't much he could do to help her through it.

The fact that the world had constantly brought her down ever since only furthered his guilt.

He shook his head, strummed the pedal and revved the engine, moving past the gates and accelerating to compensate for the incline as he moved up the road towards the mansion at the top of the hill.

It was only a minute later that he had parked the motorcycle near one of the huge columns with the winged lion-turtle statues sitting around it, leaving his helmet hanging on the handle bar while he jogged up the steps to the main doors and knocked.

The heavy stone doors swung inwards with a ponderous groan that echoed back into the huge main hall, and Mako blinked twice at the sight of General Iroh standing tall on the other side of the doors, his expression a little guarded. "Officer Mako, correct?"

"Uh, yeah." Mako didn't do much to hide the grimace when he spotted the water triber that came into view, a toothbrush in his mouth and a towel over his shoulder. He nearly rolled his eyes when he recognised the so called 'biz bender', remembering the many times he had found the hyperactive manchild at quite a few dives the Triads were known the frequent across the city.

"Well, if it ain't Sergeant Buzzkillington. What are you doing here, giggles?" Verick grinned as he worked the toothbrush out of his mouth with a audible pop, lazily leaning on Iroh's shoulder.

The general spared a tired glance for Verick before turning back to Mako. "What do you need?"

"My little brother's staying here, I need to see him."

"Huh. Well, you're a bit late by a couple of hours."

"Bolin and Asami aren't home. They're visiting Avatar Korra on Air Temple Island."

Mako's eyes narrowed a little at the mention of her. "Oh. They still there?"

Verick sniggered. "Well, they're definitely not here 'detective'."

Mako pushed his fists together and bowed to the two of them. "Thank you. I'll be going now."

* * *

He ignored the look of concern from Korra, focusing his attention on the sparring circle ahead. He watched Zuko as he stood in the center of the field, surrounded by metal mannequins, the rivets keeping the armored plates on them glinting whenever the sun managed to break through the clouds. Their faceless heads all stared at him.

"Lin set up these mannequins for the next part of the session." Tai watched Tenzin move in between them, a little suspicious at wondering why the majority of them wore simply wool-spun robes.

Flashes of the rain-streaked field filled his head, with the hooded old man standing in the center, rain dripping from the tip of his sword, intermixed with blood. The boy's mouth tightened and he clenched his fingers a little. The burning sensation in his side seemed to intensify in response.

Sitting on the bottom-most steps, Bolin and Asami watched along with Ikki and Meelo, while Jinora stood next to her father and Lin closer to the perimeter of the sparring circle.

Korra and Tai stood near each other, something which neither really felt comfortable with.

From the center of the circle, Zuko clasped his hands behind his back. "Now comes the time when we test your fighting prowess. First, you will go through the exercise on your own. Then both of you will start on opposite ends of the field. The goal is to knock down each mannequin with as few strikes as possible, before moving onto the next until all of them are down. You will be working together, this is not a competition. The idea is to learn each other's movements and to cover each other's weaknesses. This time, you will go first, Tai. And Korra, you will observe how he-"

"Bro?"

Korra blinked twice and peered over her shoulder, seeing Mako walk down the steps leading from the top of the seats with his hands in his pockets, golden eyes on her for a second. She quickly glanced away as he stopped at the base of the steps, nodding at Lin and Tenzin.

His expression hardened when he looked at Korra, and gave her a curt nod, before turning back to Asami. "I just came to find Bolin." he quickly went over to his brother, determined to tell him before his own courage deserted him. "Bo', I need to talk to you-"

"Yeah, yeah. Not now Mako."

"I-" he nearly pinched his nose in frustration, before thinking better of it and sighing as he folded his arms across his chest, hoping this would be over quickly so he could tell Bolin.

"Well, now that everyone seems to be gathered here, we'll start the exercise." Zuko walked through the mannequins, once he reached the last of them, he moved to Tai and clapped him on the shoulder. "Are you ready?"

"Just get it started. I'll do the rest." Tai didn't like the look of worry in the old man's eye as he left for the steps, focusing his attention solely on the mannequins. He clenched and relaxed his fists as he stepped forwards, ignoring the twinges of pain coming from his shoulder.

Impatiently he tossed a look over his shoulder at the old man as he and Tenzin both made their way to one side of the sparring circle in order to get a better view of his movements. Tenzin shared a glance with Zuko before looking at Tai. "When you're ready, Tai."

The boy nodded and stalked onto the circle, his hands by his sides as he approached the first mannequin. The blank look on its featureless head stared back at him as he lifted one hand and pushed forward. A short and ragged blast of air slammed into its shoulder, nearly toppling it completely. He growled and raised his other hand, pushing both in opposite angles from one another, the twin blasts of air tore tears and rents in the metal skin of the mannequins shoulders, and its entire body shook and rattled as the pressure being exerted on it became too much. The high velocity wind completely tore off both of its arms, leaving jagged stumps behind as it flung the useless arms into the air above.

Tai growled and landed a kick at the mannequins chest, sending it toppling backwards to the ground, throwing up a plume of dust with the impact. Flashes of the rain came to mind, and suddenly all he could see was pair of grey eyes, cold and callous. He grunted and stomped on the downed mannequins exposed throat, keeping his foot there and growling as he twisted his foot to the right and focused downwards, completely bent on ripping the damn thing apart.

A pulse of air underneath his foot forced it upwards as it rushed into the mannequin with all the force it had, completely pulverizing the neck and tearing the armored plates on the head apart. What little was left of the mannequin's head stared up at the boy as he moved off towards his next target at a sprint.

Ignoring the shocked gasps coming from Jinora and Ikki, he tackled the next mannequin to the ground, pinning it with his knees as he swirled the air above his palm, collecting it into a super-pressurized mass and slamming it downwards, again and again, into the chest of the mannequin. The metal squealed and buckled under the ferocious assault, and five seconds later he springed up and forwards, leaving the shattered and broken mannequin in the dust as he met the next.

The boy's single-minded determination blinded him to a nod Zuko gave to Jinora and Ikki. Wind whistled in his ears as the the robes all of the mannequins around him wore fluttered and flapped in the mounting breeze for a moment before the wind lifted the hoods up and over the heads of a few of the mannequins.

Tai skidded to a halt when he saw them out of the corner of his eye. His eyes flashed with fury, and grief took him over as he changed direction and shouted in outrage at the nearest mannequin. Fire wreathed his arms as he slammed into the nearest hooded mannequin, tearing into it with flames sparking to life all around him as he punched and tore and broke, seeing the grey eyes staring up at him with a self-satisfied glint.

Wreathing his fist in fire he slammed downwards, completely blasting apart everything above the mannequin's shoulders with a earth-shattering roar. The flames billowed up around him as he stood up and closed in on the next two mannequins, eager to burn them to _ashes_.

Outside of the flames voices shouted out in alarm and shock.

A errant fireball shot through the way towards Bolin, he yelped and quickly planted his foot and raised his arms, pulling a earth wall out of the ground to protect from the flames. He made sure Asami and Mako were shielded as well, only to see that the airbender kids were still exposed in the open. The billowing firestorm continued to engulf the sparring circle, consuming more and more mannequins as it expanded and grew, licking hungrily at the air around it.

It threatened to spill out past the perimeter of the circle. Bolin breathed a sigh of relief when Jinora and her siblings touched down behind his wall, folding up their gliders and glancing with shocked expressions at each other. Above the roar of the firestorm, Bolin could hear someone running. Mako pushed past his shoulder and glanced around the edge of the wall, watching as Korra sprinted towards the firestorm.

Mako shouted out. "Korra!"

Something in front of his eyes materialized out of the firestorm and on instinct Tai rushed towards it, hand outstretched with flames curling around his arm preparing to be launched forwards with everything he had. Blue eyes appeared and Tai faltered, but his instincts took over as he roared and unleashed his fury on the target.

A pained and surprised gasp stopped his instincts cold. He blinked twice and looked around him, eyes wide as he remembered the flames that engulfed his home. Changed his life.

Around him everything was burning, the sky was on fire, it felt like he was being consumed by _the very flames he lashed out with_, but with a final rush of air and a hiss, the flames died away in a instant, pulled from a billowing inferno into a directed stream that blazed up into the grey sky at a angle, with Zuko holding his hand upwards to redirect it. The look in the old man's eyes was that of quiet anger, but more importantly, disappointment and worry.

With a gasp Tai dropped stumbled forwards, catching himself and unable to stop looking at the look of fear and confusion in her blue eyes. Her hand had burns all over it. He took a step forward, only to stop when she flinched and wordlessly stepped away.

Further away, the rock wall lowered, revealing looks of shock and fear on Bolin and Asami. Mako was the only one who had no emotion to show, only a guarded expression. Jinora and her siblings ran over to Tenzin and Lin, both of whom exchanged a worried look with one another.

Breathing heavily and unable to look at anyone, the boy took off in the opposite direction, running from the scorched field and their looks.

* * *

The flock of turtle-ducks lazily swimming around on the water quacked in alarm, flapping their wings to get out of the way as Korra finally stopped, dropping to her knees and dunking her hand in the water. She gritted her teeth, tears coming to her eyes as she felt a throbbing sensation all over her hand. Korra shook her head, her thoughts fighting each other for domination as she tried to focus on pouring her chi into the pond so the burns could go away.

The look in his blazing grey eyes wouldn't go away, stuck in her thoughts as she desperately tried to think of something else, of someone else. But nothing worked. She remembered the time they shared together, and with a final frustrated grunt, the water around her hand gained a pale glow to it.

Korra hung her head as she gasped when the water began working on her burns, sapping at their strength and drawing out the heat. With a sigh she watched as the angry red streaks marring the top and palm of her hand began to fade, leaving her with pale brown marks soon enough.

"Korra! Are you alright?" She glanced over her shoulder at Tenzin, not doing anything as he placed a hand on her shoulder and knelt down next to her, hearing the cane clatter to the ground as he grunted.

She shook her head, staring into the water and seeing a distorted reflection of herself. Her eyes flicked to her open palm, and like before she tried to spark a flame, and like before only a few sparks fizzled and popped into existence. "Tenzin, I tried to- my firebending it-" With a gasp she hung her head and closed her eyes.

"Korra. Please. How long?" Tenzin's words were soft and gentle.

The girl shook her head as she opened her eyes, staring down at the water with a grim look. "I don't know. A week, maybe?"

Silence answered her.

Tenzin squeezed her shoulder after a few seconds with a sigh. "It's as I feared."

"What is?"

"Zuko... the goal of these exercises today were not only to test your physical experience in firebending, Korra. They were also designed to test for any... obstructions affecting your or Tai's ability to firebend. Your instructors in the White Lotus compound, they've told you that firebending is driven by emotion and will?"

'I- yeah, but-" Again, she shook her head and sighed. "Is that what's wrong with me? My stupid emotions?" She left out the part concerning Tai, and her problems with Mako, and her fear of Telei. And her worry for the city. Was that why her firebending was out of whack?

"Possibly." Tenzin rubbed a hand down his face, stroking his beard. "It... could also just be a side-effect of what Amon did to you. I don't know."

"So what do I do?"

Tenzin could only shrug. "We'll put off the rest of the training for now. Until you're ready." He went to stand when Korra beat him to it, grabbing his hand and keeping him steady. She handed him his cane. "Korra, I promise we'll figure this out."

Comforted although still unconvinced, she nodded.

* * *

Tai stalked through the covered walkway, able to hear Pabu's chittering and Kaze's barks somewhere behind. He kept going, eager to shake them off and find somewhere to hole up for a few hours.

He came out of the walkway into the middle of a uncovered courtyard, and before he could figure out where to go next he heard Bolin behind him.

"Bro, wait-"

The boy heard it coming too late, turning around just as Mako's fist crashed into his jawline. He tumbled to the ground with a grunt, dimly wondering what the hell that firebending idiot's problem was as he spat out a glob of blood and spit, staring up at Mako as he absolutely seethed with anger.

A half-hearted idea to get up and defend himself briefly stuck around, before the boy dismissed it and retreated inwards. With a growl Mako bent down and grabbed the collar of his robes, hoisting him to his feet and pushing his face right up to his, only inches away. "Say something!"

Tai stayed silent, his hand clenching a little.

Mako growled and threw him around, slamming him into the nearby wall with thunderous force and landing a blow on his stomach. The boy coughed and gasped as his mouth flew open, his eyes widening as he tried to get in a few breaths of air. "From day we met, I knew you were fucking trouble." Mako murmured.

He grunted as another fist flew into his chin, sending his head up and spinning. "Nearly getting Korra killed running off after the Equalists was the first straw, but then you had to go and do the same thing in the South Pole with that other airbender. The one who got into my _head_. Not to mention that you actually _know who he is_, and you can probably get why I'm so damn pissed right now." He gasped as Mako loosed a kick into his stomach, holding his chin still with a gloved hand. "Focus on me. But I might actually have not done anything if you hadn't threatened my little brother with that little stunt just before."

Mako leaned closer as his eyes dark. "I actually met your brother once, well apart from that time when he tried to kill Korra in the arena."

Once again, Tai was silent as Mako punched him again and again, only stopping to shake his hand out, with a growl he pushed his face up to Tai's again. "It's not the fact that you're nothing without something or someone to focus your hatred on, its not the fact that it's been so obvious what you want from Korra from day one. It's that you got your own brother killed!"

"Mako! Quit it!" Mako ignored Bolin as he and Asami stopped behind him. Bolin stepped forward, laying his hand on his big brother's shoulder and trying to pull him back. Mako shot him a scathing look and shook his hand off. Bolin went quite while Pabu chittered nervously on his shoulder and Kaze wormed out from between his legs and growled, his heckles raised and teeth bared.

He ignored the mutt, focusing all of his attention on the silent boy he had pinned against the wall. With a hiss he lit a flame over his hand and held it in front of the boy's blank expression. "Answer me damn it or are you-"

"Mako, stop!" Korra ran towards him, trying to pull him away when he turned on her, his eyes blazing golden with anger. She stopped for only a second before he pushed her away.

Korra's eyes blazed as she stood back up, intent on pounding some sense into the stupid firebender when the wind raised to a howl in the courtyard.

"Enough!" Mako growled as he glanced sidelong at Tenzin, the master airbender's eyes absolutely livid with rare fury as he slipped past Bolin and Asami, moving past Korra and sparing nothing but a scathing look at the firebender before pushing him away with a stream of air. "Everyone. Leave." the airbender growled as he looked down at Mako, standing in front of Tai. "Now."

Asami and Bolin looked at one another when Mako pushed his way between them, throwing a murderous look at Tai and Tenzin before stalking through the covered walkway, not even looking at Korra.

The Avatar hung her head as she stared at the ground, watching out of the corner of her eye as Asami and Bolin slowly backed away. She turned around, about to say something to break the uncomfortable silence when Tenzin beat her to it, reaching his hand towards Tai. "Are you-"

The boy glared at the two of them and knocked his hand away. "Don't follow me."

Without any further word he pushed past Korra and Tenzin's stunned expressions, coiling the air under his feet and pushing upwards, leaping out of the courtyard and out of sight.

"Wait-" Korra went to follow him, to try and talk to him meanfully for the first time in a long time until Tenzin's hand fell down on her shoulder. She stopped in her tracks as he indicated the open doorway on the same wall that Mako had Tai pinned against before.

Korra saw the intensely worried expression on him as she moved past, peering into the shadowed room and being greeted with the sight of a simple wooden table, on top of it a bloodied, torn and ripped bundle of dark fabric. Next to it, the leather belt wrapped and twisted around it in a tangle was his sword, scratches and nicks visible across the silvery metal.

Her eyes widened as she stepped backwards and glanced at Tenzin.

* * *

A snapping twig caught his ears, and Tai growled a warning as he leaned against the body of the oak tree, arms folded as he stared out at the city across the bay. "There's nothing to say." he murmured, just enough for her to hear and get the damn message.

His answer was the sound of bark scraping against fabric as Korra leaned against the opposite side of the tree. "I'm not leaving."

"Fine." he clenched his jaw and shook his head, settling for ignoring her until the problem went away.

To his frustration, the opposite happened. "Are you-"

"You don't need to ask that to know."

"Okay."

The simple answer got his blood boiling. Gritting his teeth he actually stepped off the tree, came around the side and stopped in front of her. "What do you want from me? A apology for nearly burning you to death? Some explanation for why I decided to fix a problem that's mine alone?!"

She answered with a shake of her head. "You could have told me to come with you. Tai, I'm the Avatar and Telei had just put Tenzin in the hospital. It's my duty to fight people like him to protect the ones I love-" Korra almost balked at the look in Tai's eye grew dark. But it was just that. A look. She closed her eyes with a heavy sigh and opened them again. With a heaviness to her features she looked up at him. "-You're one of them." she muttered.

Tai stiffened and looked away, keeping his expression guarded as his eyes fell on the cliffs nearby. The wind picked up, flapping the outer edges of his Air Nomad robes a little. "Was that the only reason?

"Why you- _why_ you did that? To keep me from going off on my own? Really, just for that?" Tai fell quiet for a few seconds and she took the time to come closer, to try and close the gap between them when he leveled a cold look at her. "I was too late to save him because of you, _Avatar._"

Korra whitened and stopped in her tracks, hanging her head as she walked past him, stopping on the side of the hill. Mako's words to her at the fountain came back to her, followed by the terrified screams of the smoking city that needed her, culminating in the empty feeling of watching as Tenzin's life nearly slipped away. In the days afterwards, she just felt so damn useless, that she was forced to sit by and watch while both Tenzin and Bolin teetered on the brink, slipping so many times she wasn't sure he would ever wake up. Then incredibly she managed to find reprieve, and for a few bright hours, she actually felt her problems lift just a little. "Maybe I just wanted something to go right for once."

"Too bad you forgot who I was." Tai said with a whisper.

Her eyes widened as she stared at her boots.

Laughing bitterly he shook his head and looked upwards. "Spirits, Korra- I - we met after I had just torched a entire warehouse trying to _kill_ Amon. What part of that gave you the idea that I'm normal in any way?"

"Tai I-" Korra hung her head, falling silent and nodding her head. She glanced over her shoulder at him. "...Maybe I did." Without another word she quickly started down the hill, eyes growing wet as she gritted her teeth and left him to stew on his own.

As soon as she disappeared from sight, the boy dropped the snarl on his features with a sigh, suddenly very and utterly tired. He shook his head and folded his arms, going to back to staring at the water from the cliff edge.

A shimmer in the air ahead of him caught his eye.

"She means well, the Avatar only wishes to help you, child." A voice carried on the wind and he narrowed his eyes, scanning the hill for a few seconds to spot the owner.

No-one was there.

The shimmer in the air hummed, and before his eyes a dark shape wavered into view. Immediately his eyes followed the curvy shape of the woman's body, before he managed to stop himself at the realization that there was a spirit floating right in front of him. Its sickly golden eyes, contrasting starkly with its pale skin, bore into his with ease. "You could wallow in self-pity or you could hear my words, child."

He took a step forward and growled, prompting the spirit to chuckle and hold up her hands. "Do not worry. I only wish to talk to you. To help."

"Get out of here." Tai couldn't stop going back to the sensation of being trapped in the suffocating dark, a constant chill pressing down on every inch of his body and smothering any attempts to think or speak. He shook his head and pointed at the spirit. "I will end you if you come any closer."

"Telei has wronged you, as he has wronged me. I wish to offer you my knowledge."

The spirit smiled at him, putting a chill down his spine as all of his thoughts focused on one subject and one subject only. His eyes narrowed as the wound on his shoulder burned in tandem with his side. "Make it quick."

"The one who took you in, child. Guided and shaped you for a grand design. He is within reach. You only have to let one of my forms show you." It said, sickly golden eyes twinkling as it held a honest smile.

"Why do you want me to do your dirty work?"

The spirit's chuckle was laced with a icy chill. "My dirty work? Child, I have no stake in this beyond seeing him depart your world."

"Right. I really trust you on that."

Once again, it laughed. "Doing this will lead to getting your brother back. It's still possible."

Tai opened and closed his hand, remembering the blood stains on his longcoat. "I'm listening."

Hovering in the air just beyond the cliff edge, the Dark Spirit smiled.

* * *

火


	5. The Burning Eyes, the Surging Flame

**A/N**

Okay, so there was a delay for a few reasons. They involved me hitting on the bright idea of trying to write a Attack on Titan oneshot and the beginning chapter of a Last of Us story while working on this chapter. Well it's safe to say that during the past day I somehow blazed through roughly 6,000 words of this chapter in the space of three hours. Yeah, oh and I complete those other two pieces as well.

I'm just a bit ecstatic.

So, here is the next chapter! Please criticize and please review!

* * *

火

* * *

_Air Temple Island._

"And may our loved ones find peace, within and without." Tenzin opened his eyes and looked up, unclasping his hands as his family and Korra did the same, the empty floormat next to Korra only enhancing the silence with which they all picked at their food. He returned the small glance Bumi gave him.

The loudness that made up the core of his wild older brother wasn't there, since he told him the details of what happened.

And try as he might he couldn't stop looking at Jinora, Ikki and Meelo, at the bags under their eyes and the groggy way in which they moved or reached for something on the table. There was no book catching Jinora's attention, and Ikkie and Meelo just stared at their breakfast, barely moving a inch.

They were awake the entire time he spent with them the night before, watching over them as they tried to get some sleep. He loosed a sigh, knowing how the close call had shaken them. He knew they looked up to Tai as a older brother, always there to protect them no matter what. The three of them asked him questions he didn't have the answer to throughout the night.

The boy was still absent after he left himself and Korra in the courtyard, and his room was completely empty when Tenzin checked during the middle of the night.

"So... you guys excited about the trip to the markets today?" Pema grinned at Jinora. "I know how much you love going into the city, plus on my last trip I saw a few new bookstores in the area." When Jinora didn't answer, she switched her gaze to Ikki and Meelo. "Asami will be there. And Ikki? You'll will go bananas over the toys they've been showing off... kids?" Pema's voice dropped a little as she felt worry clawing at her.

Jinora looked up from her rice bowl, giving a unsure nod and a nervous smile to her mother. "Sorry, mom. We'll love it. Don't you worry." The oldest of her children stood up, clasping her hands together before moving behind her sister and brother and helping them to their feet. "I'll get them ready and meet you in a couple of minutes."

"Oh. Alright." Pema smiled at Jinora as she led Ikki and Meelo out of the room, waiting until the three of them were in the hallway before fixing Tenzin with a curious glance. "Tenzin. What happened yesterday?"

Tenzin's eyes narrowed as he sighed and saw the nervous look on Korra in the corner of his eye. "Tai, lost control of his bending during training."

"That huge fireball was Tai? Honey, what are you-" Pema paled a little at the thought, thinking that she should at least go to the boy as soon as she could, to try and talk to him, or help him through his problem. She considered him family, and ever since his mother and Korra had brought him back to the island only hanging by a thread, she loathed that she couldn't do anything beyond comforting him with words or providing support. "What do we do? I haven't seen him since yesterday morning and Talisa isn't here so-"

"I'm going to talk to Zuko about it, honey." Tenzin grunted as he grabbed his cane, holding it upright while he used to it to get to his feet. He had to admit, using the cane to move around was less of a burden then he thought, although his legs and ribs still ached he was still a fair way from being mobile on his own, necessitating its use.

Without a word Korra stood up from the floormat, and moved to his side, the look in her eyes telling him she wanted something. Tenzin made his way around the side of the table towards the hallway, with Korra following him.

He made his way down the hallway until he came to the entry hall, taking a moment to have a breather when he glanced at Korra, seeing the downcast look in his eyes and the faint white marks on her hand he gently approached her. "How is your hand?"

"Fine. Good as new." She quickly answered, before stopping herself and looking off to the side. "Look, uh, I'm gonna tag along with Pema and the kids to the market today. A little time away from the island will do me some good. I'll bring Naga with me."

Tenzin knew that she knew that he knew why she was asking that. He smiled at her. "I think it's a good idea... another thing, you haven't seen-"

She shook her head. "No. Not at all." Without any further word Korra nodded at him, lingering for a moment before turning and going back into the hallway.

"Looks like you're getting the hang of that cane." Tenzin turned and saw Lin standing in the doorway leading outside. "I want to be there when you talk to Zuko."

"There's no need for you to go far. I'm right here." They both stopped and saw him, walking towards them through the covered walkway connecting Tenzin's residence with a bathhouse situated next to the steps.

Zuko stopped in front of them, hands clasped behind his back. "Ask away."

Tenzin felt a reluctance in actually questioning the old man so directly now. But still, he needed to know and he needed to know now. "Zuko, was yesterday's incident a accident? Or did you orchestrate it on purpose?"

"I'd sure like to know as well. I respect you, but I need to hear it straight." Lin waited as Zuko gave them a calm nod.

"Yes. The both of you already know that firebending runs on will and passion, as such the intensity and scale of its use depends on the user's own skill and knowledge. During the Hundred-Year War, my great-grandfather changed the traditional method of teaching and using firebending. In order to quickly train the armies and navies of the Fire Nation he substituted passion and drive for anger. I myself was a product of that perversion."

He began to walk down the covered walkway's length, Lin and Tenzin followed. Zuko held his hand out flat, sparking a small flame in his palm that wavered with elegant fluidity. "I once used hate and anger to fuel my firebending, combined with the drive to find the Avatar." Zuko smirked at Tenzin. "Helping your father save the world instead of capturing him became my drive, his love for life showed me that there are more ways to fuel firebending than just through hate and anger. You know how that turned out."

Zuko dropped the smirk as he exited the walkway, stopping by the pond near the steps and watching a gang of lemurs lounge about on the stones encircling the calm grey water. "Tai lost control over his emotions, translating raw anger into his firebending and causing that firestorm. The truth is... I thought it would have happened sooner than it did.

"What?" Lin couldn't believe Zuko of all people could be so careless. "He could have done a lot worse to Korra than a few burns on her hand! Actually it was only blind luck that Bolin was fast enough with his earthbending before the kid went out of control! Zuko-"

"Lin, please." Tenzin grabbed her wrist, looking her in the eye. She pressed her lips together and gave him a stiff nod. She moved her hand out of his grip, lingering for a second longer than necessary. He could have only guessed at what was going through her head at the time, seeing the ones she promised to protect caught in the open like that.

He gave his old friend a gentle nod, before turning away. "Zuko," Tenzin's voice grew a direct tone as he looked the old man straight in the eye, forgetting for the moment that he used to be both Fire Lord and a old friend of his father's. "Explain yourself. Why did you take such a risk?"

"The only way to truly assess what is affecting someone mentally, down to their core, is by gauging their movements during combat or training. We know that the boy experienced true heartbreak with the death of his brother, but only now could I determine how deeply it has been affecting him. You also saw how Korra wasn't able to manipulate his flames with her own firebending."

"Strange for her. The girl's personality would be right at home in the Fire Nation."

Tenzin was quiet for a few moments, something that Lin picked up on. She arched a eyebrow at the heavy look in his eyes. "Korra's firebending has become erratic as of late... she doesn't know why."

The thoughtful and slightly somber look on Zuko made Tenzin pause and look at him. "I have a few theories on why that might be."

Lin folded her arms and snorted. "Don't tell me?"

"Korra's drive is simple. She wants to protect those closest to her by doing her duty as the Avatar. As for Tai... the boy wants vengeance on Telei. For what he did to you. And for what he did to his older brother." Zuko shook his head and furrowed his eyebrows. "It's all that's driving him now."

"What can we do?"

"They need to work out their differences by working together. We can do nothing but guide them."

"But-" Tenzin stopped and sighed, Lin sharing the same sentiment as the old firebender shrugged in apology.

"Were it any other situation, I'd take a more active approach, but right now that just isn't wise. It might be a idea for her to have some time away from the island for a little while." Zuko offered.

"Actually Pema is going to the markets today with Jinora. Korra's already going with them." Tenzin couldn't help the unease that came with his oldest daughter and beloved going on a simple shopping trip into the city, especially when it was still recovering from the Agni Kais and the police were stretched thin.

Lin gave him a curt nod, already beating his train of thought. "I'll go with them. Besides, I've been meaning to get some more clothes anyway."

"Since when did you care about clothes?" Tenzin genuinely asked, knowing that all she really kept in her wardrobe was her metalbender armor, a few singlets and pairs of pants, and a overcoat. Well... that was what she kept in there a couple decades ago at least...

The metalbender gave him a wry look and folded her arms over her chest. "Since they came into the store."

Zuko chuckled. "Whatever your reasons, it's a comfort to know you're watching over Korra, Lin."

* * *

_Gateway Wharf._

Pabu chittered, stamping his foot in approval on Eska's shoulder as she scratched underneath the little Fire Ferret's chin, watching as Bolin came walking up, a ice-cream cone in each hand and a happy grin on his honest features.

Eska felt a flash of guilt when he stopped in front of her, before quickly burying it and raising her eyebrow at the ice-cream he offered her. "Ice-cream. Very original." She couldn't help a little smirk as she saw his cheeks flush in embarrassment. She took the ice-cream, using her fingertip to scoop a little off the side and hold it out to Pabu.

"Well, I wanted some ice-cream." She nodded while watching him shrug his broad shoulders with a sheepish smile. "Do they... even have ice-cream at the North Pole?"

"Sort of. Except there's only one flavor. Republic City has much more."

"Yeah." Bolin folded his arms, happy that he finally had the chance to be alone with the Northern Princess for once. "So how did you manage to convince your brother not to come along? He's pretty much glued to your hip."

"I just threw a couple ice spikes at him as a message." She said with all seriousness, stopping a chuckle from coming out at the paled look on Bolin. Eska leaned on the carved stone railing separating the harborside path from the Yue Bay's gloomy waters, enjoying the minty flavor of the ice-cream. Bolin did the same, although she noted how unusually quiet he was as he looked out across the bay, towards the island in the distance. "Is something wrong?"

"Wha?" Bolin glanced at her with a nervous squeak, fidgeting nervously as the Princess watched him with a worried look in her eyes. He thought about getting her to focus on the good time they were having, but instead he sighed and shook his head. "Korra's been having some trouble lately, and I can't do much to help her." Pabu hopped from Eska's shoulder to his, chittering with his head tilted as he grimaced.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but my cousin is probably the last person who needs someone to help her."

Eska's bold words made him look at her. "Huh?"

"If there's one thing you need to know about Korra, it's that she will never ask for help from anyone. Especially her friends or family. It's not a matter of pride, it's just how she is. She's stubborn like that. And a bit of a rube at times, but... I kind of envy her."

"I hope she's doing okay." Bolin pushed the tips of his fingers together, before slapping his forehead. "Uh- so, where were we-"

"I-" A chorus of noises erupted in her thoughts, getting a surprised gasp out of Eska as her head swam furiously and her teeth set on edge. She grimaced, her hands shaking as she tried to hold on to the rail to keep herself upright.

"Eska?!" Bolin quickly grabbed her shoulders, stopping her from falling or moving around. His eyes were full of concern as she slowly recovered from the strange spell of dizziness, still feeling a bit of nausea as she looked up at him. Pabu squeaked and clambered down onto her shoulder, looking up at her. "What was-"

"Its... I don't know." she muttered, feeling lightheaded and distinctly _wrong_.

Bolin reached a hand towards her in worry as Pabu squeaked a shrill cry of warning from her shoulder. She moaned as he looked over his shoulder at the road, watching a shadowy black blur shoot over the roofs of the satomobiles on the road. He registered two burning points of light, and fear clutched at him as he glanced at Eska, seeing her head lolling and her eyes closed.

"Eska!"

* * *

_Central Markets._

Asami grimaced while the people around her continued to move along the path, noticing that Korra had stopped again. Naga swung her head to meet the girl's gaze, making a curious whine as Asami continued running her hand up and down the thick fur on the polar-bear dog's side. Naga strained against the reins she held in her other hand, throwing quick glances back at her longtime companion and back at Asami.

Up ahead Pema and Jinora glanced over their shoulders at her, as did Lin. She nodded to Pema, and the young mother placed her hand on Jinora's shoulder, steering her towards the hustle and bustle of the market square up ahead.

Lin held her hand out for Naga to sniff as she approached the polar-bear dog and Asami. "Fifth time?" She said as she rubbed Naga's snout.

"Something like that." Asami held up her hand, holding the reins out to her. "I'll stay back. Can you take Naga?" The girl looked at Korra, worried at how quiet she had been since the day before.

"Alright. Make it quick." Lin accepted Naga's reins and turned, leading a reluctant Naga along as she left after Pema and Jinora.

Asami rubbed her elbow as she stopped besides the crestfallen Avatar, gently nudging her in the side. "That's stop number ten, you know. At this rate we won't even get to look at a few dresses." Even after nothing but silence came from Korra, she still smiled, managing to push aside her concerns about the company.

"Yesterday... must have been terrifying, Korra." Her smile tightened a little at the flash of fear on Korra, and the little motion the girl did to cover her right wrist. "And I'm sure he didn't mean to get so out of control like that." Asami's thoughts pulled her back to a wrecked study, the smell of burnt books acrid in her nose, and her eyes frozen on the fallen woman in front of her. She shook the dark away, focusing on her friend as Korra glanced at her.

"I'm not." Korra's sunken tone made her pause. The girl's eyes met her own, unwavering like normal but also distant and dull. Like she was trying to focus on somewhere far away where her troubles didn't matter. "Are we gonna catch up?"

"Oh, right. Of course."

The Avatar slipped past Asami, quickly making her way to where Pema, Jinora and Lin where looking at a colorful display of fabrics and shocks on one of the many stands in the bustling market. Asami followed her, going past a group of finely dressed men and women in front of a high-line clothes store, all of them wearing assortments of red, green or blue-hued finery and all of them giving her scathing looks and exchanging whispers as she passed. For a second she thought she recognized some of them from the many parties and galas her father and mother held at the estate, laughing and chatting and having a good time.

Seeing them now, they looked completely different.

Asami kept her chin down and started walking faster, doing her best to catch up to Korra and the others. Pema had just handed a brown bag filled with sticks of celery, loaves of bread to Lin. Naga's nose sniffed each one, and the polar-bear dog was only kept at bay from the looks Lin kept throwing at her.

After the latest death-glare to the huge creature, the metalbender loosed a quiet sigh as Tenzin's wife piled more and more bags into her arms, while from her side Jinora gave her a sympathetic smile while peeking out from the fine leathery edges of her new-bought book. As the pile of bags Pema placed in her arms continued to grow, enough to hide Lin's face from Pema, the tough as nails woman directed a pout at the little girl, showing her trouble.

"Okay, that should do us for food this week!" Pema grinned at Lin as she began tying the bags to Naga's saddle. "Now we get to look at the fun stuff," she turned to Korra, hoping to get the girl out of her slump by showing her the insides of a couple choice fashion brands when she noticed the look in the Avatar's narrowed eyes as she stared at a spot further along the market stalls. "Korra? What's wrong?"

Korra thrusted her finger at the soapbox with someone standing on it in the middle of the street ahead, his fervent gold eyes constantly moving as he gesticulated wildly, practically flinging grey-colored posters with each movement as he addressed the gathered crowd with a loudspeaker raised to his thin lips.

"I know that guy." she murmured, taken back to a argument between her and some weasel resulting in a broken box and hundreds of anti-bending flyers floating in the mid-day air. She snatched one floating nearby, with Asami peering over her shoulder at the depiction of a mecha-tank rampaging down a street with a helpless person clutched in a demonically drawn claw as behind it spectre floated in the air with opaque white eyes, nothing recognisable about her except for the wolf-tail.

"...Are you tired of the council doing _nothing_ but sit and wait while the Triads run amok, and serial killers like the Grey Man run around free? Of industrialists like Verrick and Asami Sato, eager to make a quick buck by leeching off of the people, pandering machines used to terrorize you and your neighbors during Amon's tyranny?! Benders and non-benders unite against those that would lead Republic City to its death!"

A growl came from Korra as she stalked through the crowd, pushing her way through and staring at the Protestor with fury. "You!"

"Oh, and look who it is? Our mighty Avatar! We're so glad you would grace us with your presence, divine one. Please, allow me to thank you for sitting by while the Agni Kais burnt down our homes, destroyed the pro-bending arena and kidnapped on of our own inept council members!"

"Don't worry, I'll handle this." Lin appeared next to her, muttering in annoyance as a cable snaked out of her wristguard, its two-pronged head dangling in the air as she approached the idiot on the box, noting that it belonged to a warehouse used for storing solid bathing products. "I thought you would learn after landing in a cell at HQ for the twentieth time, kid. Lucky for you the force has better things to do than bust some jumped-up grad student who has no clue what he's bleating about." A smirk appeared. "Unlucky for you that I'm right here."

The Protestor paled, fumbling to catch his cheap loudspeaker as he shot looks at the crowd, pointing a shaking finger at the metalbender Commander. Lin fought the urge to roll her eyes as his eyes boggled. "This is oppression! You're oppressing me! That's against the law!"

"I'm just here to enforce it, actually: you're disturbing the peace, disrupting people from trying to rebuild their homes or bring food to their families. I can't have that. And-"

Just as Lin was about to step forward and drag him off the wooden box by the collar, Korra noticed a primal look in the guy's eyes. He yelped and tripped back, tumbling off the box and onto the ground, static crackling from his loudspeaker as it dropped. "Spirits, what is that!?"

Lin and Korra shared a glance as they both turned around, their spines going cold at the sight.

Gasps and hushed shocked rippled across the market crowd surrounding them. Before long they streamed as one behind Korra and Lin, whispering among themselves at the sight of the black bulbous creature separated by only a short distance.

She saw the look of uneasy awe on Lin as she stood by her side, but quickly replaced it with a neutral mask as a cable whirred out of each of her wristguards, not stopping until the heads, now spiked and sharp, trailed on the ground just behind her.

As she stared down the spirit, Korra tried to get into her thoughts, to dive into the pool of golden light and find the chorus of voices within. Her past lives. She needed their guidance here, knowing that without them she had no idea how to combat or approach the spirit. But she knew one thing. Korra took a step forward, holding her arm out in front of the crowd and Lin. "Spirit, why are you here?"

A dark whisper inserted itself into Korra's thoughts when the vaguely humanoid spirit stared straight at her with burning orange slits. _To test you, once more._

Her eyes widened as the spirit rumbled and took a step towards her. The crowd behind her screamed and broke up immediately, running past her and Lin towards it. It ignored them entirely, focusing on Korra.

Asami glanced at Korra and took a step back, shaken but holding her ground as she shielded Pema, Jinora and Rohan with herself, separated from Lin and Korra with the spirit standing in the way, motionless. She saw the dark look in Korra's eyes as she moved forwards while the crowds of panicking people around them streamed in the opposite direction, out of the market and into the main roads and dispersing among the busy traffic flowing around the market stalls.

She glanced down at Jinora, her arm hovering near the girl's shoulder as support, but the look in her eyes was more curious than afraid, the opposite of her mother's. Asami turned to Pema, tapping her on the shoulder to rouse her and pointed down the street they came from. "We can't do anything. We need to go-"

The spirit's burning gaze swung towards the girl and she froze, staring back with wide green eyes. The spines on it's shoulders flexed as it rumbled, when a series of earthen missiles whistled through the air towards it courtesy of Lin. It's spines grew to twice their length as the spirit presented its back to the missiles, shattering them on the sharp tips. Lin growled and launched a cable at it with lightning speed, the clawed head sinking into its shoulder without the spirit noticing.

Korra stole a glance at Lin before the wire pulled her towards the spirit, armblade extended and a growl on her features. Korra went to shout a warning, knowing it was too late when the wire squealed and winched Lin in the reverse direction, pushing her out of reach of the spirit's swipes and into the air above it. Lin grunted as she pointed one hand at the ground, lifting a chunk of the road between her and the spirit.

The spirit roared a challenge just as Lin extended her foot, kicking the chunk into the spirit's side, throwing it off balance as she whipped around with her other foot, hard enough to send it sliding along the road and headfirst into the nearby dumpster with a resounding clang.

Lin landed in front of Korra, retracting her wire with a flick of the wrist and looking at her over her shoulder. "Let's go, Avatar-" Her eyes settled on the spirit as it lunged past her, grabbing Korra by the throat and slamming her to the ground.

Stars exploded in Korra's vision as the back of her head hit the pavement, making it hard for her to focus on the spirit and try to struggle out of its grip. She gasped as its viscous tentacles tightened their hold around her wrists as it loomed over her as a dark shadow of impossible depth.

"Korra!" Lin ran towards the spirit, only for it to extended one of it's arms to impossible lengths and pin her against the nearby chain link fence.

Korra started to panic as it turned its attention back to her, and tried banished all of her distractions, her fears, her worries, and focused only on herself and those around her. As her shoulder began to itch and burn, a surge of desperate strength charged through her and she managed a raw shout, staring straight into the burning slits as she shot her legs into the spirit's midsection and channeled all of her energy into the soles of her feet. The air sparked and crackled for a spit second before igniting into a billowing mass of flame, slamming the spirit high into the air as the canvas shrouds over many of the stands around her ruffled.

She got to her feet, not stopping to think about her resurged firebending and diving forwards to avoid the bone-crushing impact of the spirit slamming into the ground as a shadowy blur, cracking the pavement in several places and rushing towards her with claws outstretched. She darted back, once, twice, each time avoiding the claws by just a hair as it forced her backwards.

Emboldened by her earlier firebending, Korra focused with all her strength, willing a flame to light and help her against the spirit only for pain to sprout in her wrist. She gritted her teeth, instead using instinct and aiming her hand at the nearest source of water, leaning back to avoid another swipe as the a pipe rattled on a building behind her. The sound of tearing metal invigorated her and she stopped backpedaling, ducking under another swipe and looking straight into the spirit's burning slits and pushing both hands forwards with a yell.

Water surged in a thick stream from the broken main, bending and roiling as it collided head on with the spirit, sweeping it down the street and headfirst into a dumpster with bone-crushing force. Korra stopped to catch a breath, watching as Lin advanced, clapping her on the shoulder as she passed by.

Lin scowled as the spirit shook itself off and leaped at her with claws extended and eyes burning. She took a step back and raised her armblades, crossing them together to shield herself when the spirit suddenly veered downwards, ripped off a manhole cover in the road just in front of her and squeezed through.

"Ah, crap." she muttered as she retracted the blades.

"Are you okay?" Pema nervously looked around her as she moved out from behind a stall with Jinora following. Korra nodded gave a nod to her and glanced at Asami. "Take Naga and get them back home."

"Got it covered. You go after that thing." Asami smiled at her, still a little shaken from the spirit's look. Still, she placed her hand on Korra's shoulder. "Be careful."

"Lin, are you coming with us?" Pema asked with a worried look, holding Jinora's hand tight.

Lin shook her head. "We need backup. Asami will get you back to the island. Your husband needs to know about this." She focused on Asami. "Keep them safe."

She nodded and waved Pema and Jinora over towards Naga. The polar-bear dog grunted and whined as Asami climbed up onto her saddle, reaching a hand down for Pema and Jinora to grab onto.

Asami yelped as Naga suddenly whipped around and padded towards Korra, barking at her and shifting uncomfortably under the saddle. Korra wrapped her arms around Naga's neck and rested her cheek on the polar-bear dog's snout. "I'll be fine, girl. Take them home."

Naga whined but settled down, barking once before swiveling her head to look up at Asami as she held the reins. She glanced over her shoulder at Pema, seeing the pale look on the mother's features, and then at Jinora, hers a stark contrast.

Watching Lin launch a cable at the nearby building to zip up to its roof, Asami nodded and turned to her passengers. "Alright, we're getting out of here."

She urged Naga to a trot, guiding the polar-bear dog down the narrow confines of the side-road back towards the street, going past trampled canvas sheets and wrecked market stands on either side.

"Guys!"

Asami wrenched the reins back, mouthing a apology to Naga as she made the polar-bear dog skid to a halt just in front of a abandoned ice-cream stall. Bolin moved towards them, carrying Eska in his arms with a fearful expression. "Something's wrong with Eska, we were just talking and this thing shot past and she passed out and-"

"The hospital's too far away. But we can take her with us to the island." Jinora spoke up over him, her voice calm and expression collected as Bolin nodded, shooting nervous looks at the unconscious girl in his arms.

A series of titanic muffled thuds, echoing to them from across the bay. Pema held Jinora close as Asami whitened and Bolin yelped in surprise, looking behind him and across the water at the south-eastern district, seeing plumes of thick black smoke choking the landscape of industrial plants, power stations and manufactures.

Her eyes widened when she recognized the hazy profile of the rectangular building the smoke poured out of. "Future Industries. My work."

Panic coursed through her, knowing how many workers were there, not knowing if any had gotten out, what was caught in the blast. A single detail came to her. The prototypes. The refurbished mecha tanks. All of it was _over there_.

On the waters of a bay a second series of smaller and quiet muffled booms sounded, failing to register compared to seeing her hard-work being burned to ashes.

* * *

_Industrial District._

Sato would definitely not be happy about this. Tahno tolerated being swept along by the masses as they ran in the opposite direction of the smoky plume, mainly factory workers or vagrants who happened to be nearby when the factory exploded.

He had been near the front gates at the time, taking a long detour from the main road just in case he was being followed when the detonation blew him off his feet. He had nearly been picked up as a volunteer to help fight the inferno with his waterbending, and had nearly caved into the naive urge to actually agree. Instead he blew them off, not telling them his reasons before he skipped and found the nearest road away from the fire. They didn't need to know.

Tahno pushed his way out of the stream of panicking people running away from the huge plume of black smoke rising high above the buildings behind them, nearly losing his footing as he stumbled into a alleyway clear of movement and noise, with high walls on either side lending it a gloomy feel.

Almost like how he felt.

The pretty-boy rubbed a hand down his tired features as he leaned against the nearby wall, once again knowing he'd need to find a new safe-spot before the Red-Monsoons found him again-

Boots scuffed against stone. He whipped around, only for his muscles to lock up and his body to spasm as he came face to face with a pair of blue-clothed water tribers. Their faces were neutral as they manipulated his body, slamming him against the wall and putting stars in his vision as he gasped and grunted.

"Rorik will be pleased to have you back in the family, Tahno. Make this easy and don't resist." One of them said, a woman with a deep voice.

"Rorik holds no ill will to you. He is above it."

He managed to chuckle at the audacity of the two creeps, how they actually believed that the Red Monsoon leader was something just shy of a messiah, completely perfect in every way.

"I don't do requests, 'brother' and 'sister'. With all due respect to the crazy head honcho." Tahno prepared himself for the onslaught of roiling muscles, twisting sinews and waves of pain erupting across his frame.

The two of them shared a look and advanced, resuming their bloodbending assault on his body. He twisted and turned, forced back when they wrenched his ankle in the wrong direction, tripping him up and leaving him with a throbbing pain beginning to surface as they closed in-

Gurgling gasps reached his ears, and he managed to focus on the two of them as they clutched at their throats, veins bulging under their skin before they slid to the ground in a tumbled heap with a double sigh.

He quickly got up, dusting himself off and looking for the person who decided to have the good will to help him out. But there was no one there. He arched a eyebrow, knowing that they here somewhere as he stood in the center of the alley.

"If you're looking for a couple yuans for being a good samaritan, you-" His voice echoed on the walls around him with no answer. Tahno shrugged, turned around to find a pair of dark grey eyes staring back at him. He gulped as he stumbled back, eyes now focused on the razor sharp edge of the sword pressed into his throat.

"Tahno." the airbender murmured, edges of a hiss to his voice. He held the sword steady, keeping the former wolfbat pinned to the wall as he glowered at him. "How is it having the use of your bending again?"

For once, Tahno didn't immediately answer or retort. Seeing the look in the airbender's eyes told him that. He managed a strained smile, eyes constantly glancing down at the sword against his throat. He fought the urge to swallow as a bead of blood showed, paling at the thought that just a small bit of pressure was between him and a early grave. "How- how can I help?"

"By holding still." Tai muttered, shooting a dangerous look at him before taking the blade from his throat and pulling his hand back, arranging it into a fist and launching it straight into Tahno's pretty features. The waterbender shrieked as his head snapped back into the wall, and his hands flew up to shield his bloody nose from any follow up blows.

"That was to make _me_ feel better." Tai murmured, gripping the pretty boy's collar and spinning him into puddle of dirty water face-first. Tahno grunted as his hands flew to cover his nose again before Tai planted a foot in the small of his back and pushed him onto the ground of the dark alleyway. "I've been waiting a long time to see you again."

"It was the only for me to get their trust, they would have killed me or-"

"Something I'm thinking of doing." The boy held his arm out straight as he looked down at the pathetic mess in front of him, his once impeccable hair limp with grimy strands, and his ice blue eyes sunken and bloodshot. His eyes flicked to focus on his palm, feeling the tickle as a spherical mass of compacted air spun into form, racing around in a constant spin and throwing a low hum that set his teeth on edge.

"You don't understand, I was helping you guys, the police they needed someone-"

As Tahno began to blubber inelegantly, Tai dropped to one knee, planting his other foot on Tahno's shoulder to force him down while he held the ball of air right up to his face, getting a terrified shudder from him. "The hooded airbender. Tell me where he went."

"A- a hooded guy?" Tahno managed a even paler shade of white as he stared up at Tai. "Down in the sewers, a drain silo near the warehouses but it's _not _who you think it is! Don't go down there!"

"Thanks." Tai released him, ignoring the mad scrabbling movements as he stumbled out of the alley as best he could. He grimaced as flashes of a pair of grey eyes haunted him, and his fist tightened.

The shimmering patch of air above the nearby manhole cover made him pause as the outline of a voluptuous woman appeared, followed by a pair of sickly glowing eyes staring straight at him.

He approached it and the manhole cover, his face a mask as he summoned a ball of air and thrusted it downwards, ripping up the thick metal disc and sending it spinning into a nearby bin with a loud clang.

His eyes narrowed as they adjusted to the darkness within.

* * *

_Republic City Sewers._

She let off a annoyed growl as she skidded around the bend, faced with the sight of another featureless and dark tunnel ahead. Her frustration drained when her boots echoed a final time off of the curved walls as she came to a stop in the darkness of the tunnel, letting her eyes adjust to a spot of illumination up ahead, in the middle of what looked to be a huge room of some kind.

Slowly she advanced, caution stopping her from charging in. She didn't bother lighting a flame, knowing that all she would get would be a few sparks and a sore wrist.

Everything sound muted, and her breaths sounded muffled yet loud at the same time, the only thing she could clearly hear as she stopped in the circle of bright light at the center of the space. She frowned as she glanced down at the light, seeing another shape mixed with her own shadow.

Quickly she looked up to see the silhouette of the spirit clinging to the roof of the room like a spider, its burning slits staring down at her the gloom above. The spines on its back flexed as it dropped with lightning quick speed, forcing her to the floor to avoid being crushed.

A grunt came out of her as she rolled, sweeping a leg at the spirit's feet to trip it up only for a tentacle to latch onto her ankle and hoist her into the air, now hanging upside down in front of the spirit's burning slits.

It gazed at her, and she gazed at it as whispers invaded her mind. Suddenly her surroundings wobbled and swam, bubbling away and being replaced with a pitch black darkness where whispers constantly sounded in her ears.

She groaned and covered her ears, getting to her feet only for her eyes to go wide with shock, she took a step back, a terrified shudder rolling down her spine as she beheld the grim white mask walking into the view out of the sheer dark abyss that she found herself in instead of the sewer room. She shakily lifted a hand, bunching it into a fist and desperately backing away as it started approaching her. "Y- you can't be, the wreckage it- you're not real! You're gone!"

"Am I? Have you truly become the Avatar after what I took from you? Or are you still nothing?" The voice behind the mask had his guttural growl, but it also had a condescending tone to it, out of place.

Korra shook her head and gritted her teeth, retreating into her thoughts, mentally wishing the masked man away as she found herself hyperventilating. She shuddered as whispers grew to shouts, mounting as another voice joined the chorus, completely different from them.

_Korra,_ _focus!_

The voice echoed in her thoughts, both feminine and masculine, soft and strong, compelling her to force her breaths to slow and her mind to clear, clinging onto a shaky image of her friends, even him.

With a shaky breath she shook her head and opened her eyes to the burning slits of the spirit growling in surprise as out of the corner of her eye she spotted a series of pipes running along one of the walls. Her eyes flicked back to the spirit as it rumbled.

Concentrating, she wiggled her fingers in slow, subtle movement so as not to get the spirit's attention, still looking straight into the spirit's burning eyes with a smoldering gaze of her own.

As the pipes began to rattle, catching the spirit's attention and taking its focus away from her, she managed to pull a smirk and increased her tempo, swinging both arms now in fast yet graceful sweeps, going faster and faster until she yelled and threw them to the side with one powerful movement.

The spirit swung its burning gaze back to her, raising a claw and flexing its spines menacingly before it twisted to meet a hard-hitting column of rushing water, twisting and roiling as the pressure blasted the creature into the nearby wall, cracking the concrete with a loud roar, dropping Korra.

She managed to get to her feet, advancing on the creature as she kept the stream of water flowing into it, holding up her hands with a growl on her features. It struggled and shrieked, until Korra pushed her arms forward with all of her might, throwing all of the water at once at the spirit.

One roar came from it before the torrent slammed into it with all at once, knocking it to the floor with a meaty thud.

She shook her head and got to her feet, looking about as her heart pounded in her chest. Her encounter in the snow gave her a idea, and she held her hand out to gather the water droplets still hanging in the dank air. As the spirit tried to surface and get to its feet, she managed to collect enough to form a thin murky ribbon of water. Korra wasted no time, sweeping her arms and stepping forward as she wound the water stream around the spirit's bulbous shape, concentrating on what she did before.

Patches of darkness bubbled away to reveal stark pale skin as the spirit bucked and spasmed, screaming as more more pale skin started to show. The burning orange of it's eyes began to slowly fade and die, giving Korra hope and the strength to continue on, ignoring the pain she was causing to the spirit in order to calm it down.

A scraping noise broke her attention.

"Well, well, that's a interesting technique." The slimy tones came from somewhere in the pitch black darkness around her and the subdued spirit.

Her heart skipped several beats as a series of shivers went up her spine, her blood ran cold, and her throat went dry at the thought of being stuck in the dark place with the bloodbender skulking in the shadows around her. Korra shook her head with a snarl, willing her flames to work and light up her surroundings as she backed away from the walls, standing in the circle of light in the center of the huge room.

"It's like the spirits themselves led us to each other, Avatar." Rorik stepped out of the shadows, the points of his shark-teeth gleaming in the light cast from the ventilation grates above feeding air into the substation.

A roar sounded in Korra's ears as the darkness fully cloaked the spirit again and its slit reignited with a furious blaze. He barely gave the spirit a glance as it rushed at him with murderous intent, claws extended as he stood in its way with the calmest grin in the world.

He lifted his chin with a sharp movement, and the spirit rumbled as its entire body went rigid and stiff. Rorik grinned at Korra, who stood stunned as he lifted a hand at the fallen creature, lifting it in the air. The spirit shuddered as spasms wracked its entire body, rumbling and roaring and raging at the bloodbender. He cackled. "Well, color me surprised. That's new!"

"You-" Korra felt pity just seeing the savage spirit helplessly trapped like that, even if it was attacking her just a few seconds ago, she had been through the same torture many times. Anger replaced her pity as she glared at the bloodbending monster. "Release it!"

"Or, what? I'm just as surprised as you are that I only waved my fingers and brought it under my complete control. Don't be so surprised by what I can do, Avatar." Rorik grinned at her as he stalked into the light, the vial of spirit water on his necklace gleaming brightly despite its surroundings. "Anything is possible with experimentation. In our world, the spirits are flesh and blood just like us poor humans."

Korra took a step forward, lifting her hand towards the gushing pipe on the wall just as he disappeared back into the darkness, his singsong voice echoing off the pipes on the walls. "Oh well. I came down here just to show you I can do, Avatar. Now that's done, I think I'll take my leave - whoops!"

His laughter chittered off the walls as the spirit dropped to the floor, growling and slashing at the air around it as it swung its burning slits around to find the perpetrator who dared manipulate it.

Suddenly the spirit focused all of its attention on Korra, staring at her without movement. She stiffened and stared back, forgetting about the Red Monsoon as it drew up to it's full height, towering above her.

She froze, knowing there was nowhere for her to run and that it was too close for her to try and use her waterbending on it. It loomed closer, before rumbling once and darting to the side, knocking her to the ground as it slipped down the tunnel, soon becoming invisible within the black gloom.

Breathing heavily she blinked twice, terrified and confused.

* * *

_Police Headquarters._

"How many firebenders are deployed to the area?"

"Five. All we can spare plus three waterbenders. They won't be able to do much against a fire that large." Nisha looked up from the sheet, waiting for the commander's answer.

Lin stroked her chin, placing a hand on her hip and grunting in annoyance. "Has the site been cordoned off?"

The lieutenant nodded. "As best we could. But there we don't have enough men to stonewall every would-be journalist or shutterbug trying to get their five minutes of fame."

"What about ms Sato? Does she know?" Lin grimaced, hoping that the girl was safe and uninjured and that she was right to send her, Pema and Jinora away. She respected the young woman, and beyond that, the force needed her and her resources.

"No, sir. I sent her away along with Pema and Jinora, safely out of harm's way."

"Commander Makei? Lin?"

Nisha looked up first as Asami approached the reception desk, a hesitant look on her. "Sir." she threw a glance at Makei, who turned to see the young woman standing there with a confused look.

Lin grimaced and gave her a nod. "Glad to see you're safe, Asami, although I would rather be dead considering how many lizard-buzzards are circling around your head right now."

"I saw the explosion... how many of my workers made it out?" With bated breath Asami studied Lin, then started preparing herself for the inevitable answer.

"A few injuries, but only a small part of the factory collapsed. That building is twice as sturdy as any other in this city."

Relieved, Asami sighed and smiled at her. "Thank goodness." The smile waned a little. "Wait, what about Iroh? Verick? Are they-"

"Accounted for. They should be arriving to meet you here soon."

"Not only that, but my YACHT IS GONE. EXPLODED! What are we gonna do about that?" Asami turned at the sound of Verick's voice coming in from the entrance to the building.

She glanced at Lin, Nisha and Makei and bowed. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." Makei replied.

"Verick! Not now!" After stepping into the reception lobby, Iroh elbowed the inventor in the shoulder, getting a whine from him.

"My ostrich-horse reels... all gone." Verick pouted and dropped his gaze to the floor, falling quiet. "I hope Ginger's okay..."

Iroh gave him a incredulous look for a moment when he spotted Asami and Bolin up ahead, threading their way through the worried people and groups of metalbenders departing to respond to the situation to greet them.

Asami glanced at Iroh as she stopped, resisting the urge to outright hug him just to make sure he was actually there and unscathed. "Are you guys okay?"

"We're fine, Asami. But... it's a utter mess back there." Iroh stiffened at the momentary helplessness she displayed. "And there are reporters all over the place."

She nodded stiffly. "We'll come back somehow. How bad is it?"

Iroh grimaced and shook his head. "A lot of damage was concentrated in the workshop. We haven't surveyed the damage yet, but-"

"Okay."

Verick nodded glumly at her, sighing before turning to Bolin. "Someone blew up my yacht, Bo'." He said with a dejected nod.

The earthbender squeaked and clamped his hands over his mouth. "You're joking, right?"

"Nobody cares about your stupid yacht, 'biz bender'." Everyone glanced at Korra as she glowered at him. "We've got bigger problems to deal with." She saw the expectant looks on Bolin and Asami, and briefly regretted saying anything, definitely not keen on remembering her encounter in the sewers a hour back. Ever since then she had avoided saying anything more than a few sentences to either of them, knowing she would tell them in a heartbeat.

Like they didn't have enough to worry about.

"If the Avatar says so." Verick dropped his gaze to the floor and shook his head.

Bolin patted his shoulder before he hung his head and looked at Korra. "I was out with Eska when we saw it. Somehow, it knocked her out cold when it rushed past us."

Korra stiffened. "What? Is she-"

"She's resting on Air Temple Island. She's safe."

Relieved she expelled a sharp breath. "Thank the spirits-" she frowned and shook her head. "Thanks, Bolin."

"So where did it go, did you-"

"Uh, ms Sato? You'll want to see this." Asami blinked twice and peered over her shoulder at the entrance to the station, seeing a young officer peering out of the windows with a worried expression.

"Hei, right?" She shook her head and moved away from Bolin and Korra, feeling hesitant in approaching the window to see what he was talking about. He exchanged a look with her as he stepped aside.

She peered through the window when a whump rang in her ears and a camera flash blinded her. "What the-" she slipped past Hei, briefly seeing curious looks on Bolin and Korra as she opened the doors to the outside, immediately being greeted with a baying sea of bowler hats, fedoras and shouting voices, holding notepads or ungainly cameras up above their heads or using the head of the person in front of them as a support.

"What are your thoughts on the factory explosion?"

"Ms Sato, can you give us a explanation as to the unexplained detonation occuring on the Future Industries premises?"

"Was it a rival company?

"A sabotage attempt?"

"Or a attempt to garner sympathy?"

Her blood ran cold as she stared at the owner of the last voice with laser-like focus, taking in the chubby features and the green fedora and overcoat. "Excuse me?"

"Mr Yun, since you keep forgetting my name, girl. The council wants to know your reasons for bombing your own factory."

* * *

火


	6. The Roaring Fire, the Baying Crowd

**A/N**

Right, so here is the next one! Things well and truly heat up now, and I promise you, the next few chapters will blow your mind. The delay was due to a few other pieces I was working on, but those are complete and dusted, and I shall be back to the normal 3-4 day release.

As always, have fun reading, and review and criticize.

* * *

火

* * *

_City Hall._

"Don't stop." Korra held onto Asami's hand as she dismounted from Naga's saddle, throwing dark looks at the baying crowds that had followed them all the way from the police station.

As she marched up the steps the grating voices of the crowd behind her set her teeth on edge. They shouted and shouted, some of the bolder ones surging onto the steps and running up the steps towards her and Asami.

Behind them the council page scurried back and forth across the edge of the crowd swarming against the steps, frantically waving his arms. "Please! The Council will be free to give a statement soon, just a few more-"

The din of the gathered reporters, journalists and paparazzi smothered his squeaky voice, getting Korra angry. One of their voices managed to rise clear above the rest. "...can't believe the Avatar is socializing with scum like you, ms Sato!"

Korra grabbed Asami's shoulder and snorted with frustration, before stomping her foot down with a low snarl. The entire area rumbled and the crowd of reporters fell to the ground, tangled in each other's limbs and yelping with collective surprise.

She shot the closest ones a look of pure fire, searching for the source of the idiot who spoke up the loudest. "Shut up!"

The girl steered Asami in front of her towards City Hall's entrance, grabbed the huge double doors and pulled them open with little to no effort, pushing Asami in and slamming them shut behind her with a resounding slam. Once inside, the council page immediately stepped in front of them, clutching a clipboard to his chest. "The- the Council are waiting for you, they can see you-"

"Good." Korra muttered, pushing past the thin man and leading Asami through the long benches at the front of the hall. She heard snippets of a nasally voice, echoing from the other end of the hall where the Council gathered.

"What about Shizu? He's still missing, we need to discuss-"

"It has been two weeks since his unfortunate disappearance, Councilman Tenzin. Although I admire this rather... admittedly late interest in his whereabouts and safety, we simply have far more pressing matters to discuss and solve. The spirit that appeared in the central markets would be a good first topic."

"Or we could discuss, y'know, the condition Chief Unalaq's daughter is in as well. Because that's important."

"My annoying older sister is right."

"Bumi-'

"Stop bickering, you two! We need a course of action!" Finally hearing the echoing noise of Korra and Asami as they approached the steps to the council table, Tenzin glanced up and blinked at the two of them in surprise. "Korra? Asami? Oh boy."

"Hey you two!" Kya and Bumi waved down at them, while Tenzin cleared his throat and adjusted his mantle.

"Avatar. Ms Sato." Wu stood up from the table, his hands hidden in voluminous crimson armsleeves. "Commander Beifong informed us that that the two of you were present when the... spirit... emerged." he said as he leveled a stern look at Kya and Bumi.

"First things first, Wu." Korra stepped forward, ignoring the struck look on the old man's face and gesturing behind her at the closed double doors, blocking out most of the noise being made by the crowd outside. "You gonna control those reporters?"

Wu swung his gaze between Korra and Asami, and narrowed his eyes. "The Council does not control Republic City's media, Avatar. And we called the two of you here to ask _you_ questions, not the other way around.

Pok stood up and bowed to the two of them. "As much as my colleague is correct in what he says, you two are the focal point of today's session and our curiosity. But before I allow the rest of my colleagues to question you to their hearts content, as the Northern Water Tribe's representative I must direct my attention towards Princess Eska's safety."

"You have nothing to worry about, Pok." The swarthy Water Tribe glanced at Tenzin. "She is safe and sound on Air Temple Island. Her father and brother are there right now."

Korra grinded her teeth when Asami laid a hand on her shoulder. She managed to calm down and relax, keeping a close watch on her friend as Pok took over from Wu. "We would like to know where you were during the accident at your factory, ms Sato."

"I- I was at the markets with Korra, and Councilman Tenzin's wife and daughter. Commander Beifong was present as well." Asami dropped her shoulders as she looked at the disbelieving faces of Wu and Pok, even though she had barely started to explain.

"As I have already told them." Tenzin said with a sigh.

"And Wu and I are inclined to agree with you, Tenzin. However, many of the city's media outlets are circulating... distasteful rumors that Ms Sato may have intentionally bombed the Future Industries site, whether to garner symptathy for a dying company as the victim of a vicious attack, or for reasons unknown."

"You can't be serious!" Asami's mouth hung open for a second before she kept it firmly closed, holding her jaw tight as she studied the worried looks Kya and Bumi had on the opposite side of the table.

"Ms Sato." She focused on Wu. The Fire Nation representative offered a tight smile, as some kind of apology. "You must understand... some of your previous actions and that of your company play a factor in the media's interpretation of these disturbing events."

Floored, Asami fell silent in the huge chamber, before the council, unable to take any comfort in the presence of her friend or Tenzin and his siblings, fixated on the single fact that no matter what she tried, her father's actions still shaped her path. With a stiff lip she hung her head for a moment before looking up at the council. "So that's it?"

Korra couldn't believe what was happening. Eyes wide she threw looks at Tenzin, Kya and Bumi. "You guys haven't said anything about this? Aren't you going to help or do something? Anything?"

"Korra-" Kya went to say before she fell quiet and offered a apologetic nod to Asami instead.

"Why can't you do something? You're on the council, you can make those reporters focus on something else! Tenzin, please!"

"Korra." She stopped with a sharp breath, surprised at the single quiet utter of her name coming from Tenzin. He threw a look of disgust at Wu and Pok as he stood up. "My father and Zuko founded this city as a haven of freedom and culture. If we start cracking down on the media and control what they are allowed to say we will be no better than the Fire Nation during the Hundred Year War!"

The fire drained from Korra's eyes as she filled with shock. Korra avoided looking at her master as she took another step forward. "Tenzin-"

"He's right, Korra. We can't help Asami without betraying what Aang saw in Republic City."

"Sorry, kids." Bumi muttered, half-hidden next to Kya.

Wu's wizened features grew stern as he nodded at the two girls. "This discussion is over."

"But-" Korra stopped as Asami grabbed her hand.

"Korra, please." Asami looked away from her and at the council, bowing to them.

"I... understand." she said, keeping her chin high and holding her voice level.

* * *

_Quzon Apartments, Red Dragon District._

Mako rubbed a hand along his jawline, grimacing at the rough stubble he felt. He sighed and dropped his hand, focusing on moving through the brass-finished double doors and going up to his room to sleep.

Once in the lobby, he noticed that Hana wasn't sitting at the reception desk like she usually did. Instead he heard several noises and movements coming from behind the wall where the key racks were. Mako watched the Water Tribe girl peek out from behind it at him, wearing a thick trenchcoat and a pale beanie. "Oh, hey Mako! One sec!"

He leaned on the counter, waiting as she managed to untangle herself from whatever she was doing and zip to her station with a smile. "Um. Sorry. I'm leaving to visit Sifu Kya for a few hours... I should probably get your key before I get off."

"Thanks."

Hana nodded and turned to the key racks, not taking long to find his room number near the bottom. She dragged the key out, turning to him again before slapping herself in the forehead. "I nearly forgot. Your brother's waiting for you. He came by just before you did."

"Bo's here?"

She nodded. "Uh huh." Mako wasn't really paying attention as she fidgeted for a few seconds, lifting a finger to scratch her cheek before taking a deep breath. "So... How are you doing?"

His eyes flicked up. "Okay."

"Great!..." Hana's shoulders dropped as she looked away. "Look, I know you probably don't want me asking, but... I want to know how you're _doing_. I mean, you're the cool police detective and all, but I... I worry about you. You get pretty intense."

Mako shrugged. "I'm alright."

He watched the conflict play out on her features as she shifted uncomfortably, sensing that there was so much more she wanted him to hear. But he didn't need someone to lean on, or a handy ear to tell his sob stories to. He just needed to get some rest. "Can I have my key now?"

"Oh. Yeah." Hana's voice went quiet as she handed him his key. It jingled on the keychain as he took it, echoing off the spit-polished walls and floors around them.

"I'm fine, Hana." Mako set his sights on the elevator for a moment before turning back to her. "No need to worry over me."

Without waiting for a answer from her he moved off towards the cast-iron elevator, ducking through the baroque-patterned gates before they closed and pressing on the up button.

The elevator lurched to life and took him up, shuddering every few seconds as he grimaced and folded his arms, sure that he knew why Bolin was visiting his apartment.

It bothered him greatly that he came down so hard on Tai, every time he had thought about it, it reminded him way too much of his days 'bookkeeping' for the Triple Threats when he was trying to keep Bolin and himself off the streets.

Tipping his head upwards, he fretted with the details of telling Bolin. What would he say? He wasn't prepared for it to go down like this, he thought he would tell him at a time of his choosing, of his preference, not just out of the blue like this.

Mako almost gulped when the elevator bell dinged, and the doors opened up, admitting him into the plush corridor that was home to his apartment and a few others.

He shook his head and left the elevator, moving along the corridor with his thoughts turning, strategizing about how to handle the situation he was walking into.

Soon enough he came to his door. It was slightly ajar, and he caught a sliver of the inside of his aparment. He sighed and readied himself. Mako pushed the door open and headed in without a second thought, gearing himself up for what was coming.

Immediately he saw Bolin, nervously tapping his fingers on his kitchen countertop to the side of the apartment's main living space, his eyes tracking Pabu as he skittered back and forth.

For a moment, Mako thought about turning around and walking out, but he steeled himself and stopped in the center of the room, glancing at Bolin. "Hey." Mako hesitated when Bolin didn't say anything back. "Uh... you been waiting long?"

"Couple minutes. Hana let me through... just came from seeing Eska at the island. She's okay."

"Mhm."

Mako scratched the back of his neck as he moved towards the window, pulling the crimson curtains open to let some grey light in to brighten the dim apartment just a little. He grimaced as his eyes ran upwards along the soaring heights of the apartments across the street, stopping when they came to the rough patchwork of black and grey clouds hanging above on the overcast day. A storm was coming.

He looked away from the window at his younger brother, knowing that sooner he later he needed to say something. "Heard that you're staying at Asami's since the, uh, the arena is wrecked."

Bolin had his arms folded as he glanced up. "Yep."

Finally, he scratched his neck and turned to him. "Look-"

"You've kept a lot of stuff from me over the years."

A series of shivers crawled down his spine as Mako's eyes widened. "What are you talking about Bolin-"

"What you did to Tai."

The look in his little brother's eyes made him freeze in place. It was a look Mako had never expected to see being used on him. A disappointed look. "You acted like a animal. Just like when you did those 'special' jobs for Shady Shin, back when we ran with the Triple Threats."

"What?" Mako chuckled, in disbelief that Bolin had any clue what he was talking about. "Okay, you think I was going overboard with that punk? He nearly roasted you and Asami, and Korra, and Tenzin's family to a crisp- I did it to protect you! All of you!"

His apartment sounded quieter than ever, over Mako's heavy breathing as he fought with the old rage inside of him, his shoulders heaving up and down and chest pounding, while Bolin simply stared at a spot on his pale red fridge, a low humming from it the loudest noise there. From his place on the kitchen counter, Pabu stared up at the two of them, quiet as well.

"Really? The only time you ever came close to being like - like 'that', was when Tarrlok took Korra. You had the same look then, and you had the same look now. And don't-" Bolin shook his head and turned to his older brother, staring Mako straight in the eyes with a unwavering gaze. "Don't give me the excuse that you were trying to protect me. I haven't needed you to watch out for me for a while now."

"Yeah? You really think so?- He's dangerous- he nearly got you, and Asami, and Korra and everyone else-"

"Mako. He is our friend. You know that. And you know what he lost."

Mako stiffened, shut down. Bolin had a hurt look in his eyes but he didn't look away, even for a second. "If I lost you, I - I don't know what I would do if you were gone, Mako."

Once again, he felt a loss for words. Mako stared hard at the countertop for a few seconds, his face a mask as he recalled what he went through while Bolin was in hospital.

Slowly, he looked up. "You nearly did lose me."

Bolin's eyes widened and his skin paled. "W- what?"

A heavy sigh came out of Mako as he averted his gaze for a second, wondering, pleading that he didn't need to do this. Mako looked back with a stony expression. "The Agni Kais had put you in the hospital... and I went looking for them."

Mako hung his head, and closed his eyes. "I was just so... so willing to do anything to make sure they wouldn't hurt you ever again... I didn't care what happened to me, so long as you were safe."

"What happened?" Bolin whispered, his voice soft in the grey-lit room.

"I found them." His eyes hardened at the memory of that dark, smoky room, surrounded by them on all sides, restrained and helpless to do anything but be at their mercy. "I met their leader. Kazon. He ordered me released, then challenged me to a Agni Kai."

"A Agni Kai?" Bolin shivered, but didn't interrupted any further with the dark look in Mako's eyes.

"Just like what mom taught us about how they did it in the old days... I lost. But he spared me." Mako couldn't stop his eyes from automatically sliding away from Bolin, or his throat catching at the thought of mentioning the next part.

Bolin was wise to how his brother acted. "There's more isn't there?"

Despite his reluctance, Mako managed to talk past the lump in his throat. "He- he knew mom, Bo'. I don't know how, but-" With a growl he shook his head as a fiery look surfaced. "He did it. He was the one."

Silence smothered them both, leaving them with their own thoughts. Pabu stared at the two of them with his head tilted. Mako clenched and relaxed his hand as he laid it on the countertop, not registering Pabu as the Fire Ferret took that moment to walk across and sniff his knuckles.

"...Weren't they the guys who broke into Asami's mansion when she was a kid?"

"Yeah. Small world." Mako whispered.

* * *

_Republic City Sewers, Wharf District._

Tai gritted his teeth and seethed as his shoulder burned. His hiss reverberated across the curved tunnel walls, echoing down its length and carrying for a unknown length.

His grip faltered but with a grunt he managed to reaffirm it, tightening his fingers around the worn leather handle and ignoring the pins and needs travelling up and down his sword arm.

He used his other hand to wipe sweat from his forehead, fatigued just by holding onto his sword like he always did. The tip of the silvery blade dangled at precarious angle in his grip, almost scraping against the damp stones as he began moving forward again, catching his breath again and trying to hold onto it. He shook his head to stop the buzzing, and moved forward in the silence of the tunnel, interrupted only by his own footsteps.

Each time he set a foot down he nearly stumbled, nearly made himself stop and take a breather. But the specter of the hooded man, the grey eyes, spurred him on. He wouldn't stop until he did what he came to do.

The thought of going back to the island always tugged at him, of staying safe and sound and giving up on trying to save his brother, trying to stop him in his tracks. The thought disgusted him. He shrugged it away and continued through the dim gloom in a general direction, only knowing that it felt the right way to go.

He stopped a moment as the tunnel began to widen out, with the walkways on either side of the water channel turning at angles and rising higher up, clinging to the edges of the tunnel like they did before, but separated by a much wider gulf. His eyes narrowed as he made out the beginnings of a huge space up ahead, spanned by a concrete arch-bridge that bore the water channel across the space.

Something, a rock being knocked over, echoed from a distant source ahead. He tightened his grip and continued forwards, striding alongside the central channel, moving past doors barred shut or locked with huge chains on either side, until he reached the edge of a cylindrical chamber.

It was massive in scope, running downwards into impenetrable darkness with gently lapping water echoing up the walls. Upwards it ran for a shorter distance, ending at a series of grates letting in split rays of light, covering the chamber in a weird arrangement of shadowed patches and bright swathes.

He moved out along the arch, keeping his sword ready as he watched the dozen or so holes cut into the walls, regularly patterned.

At the halfway point of the bridge he stopped, catching the whistling passage of something spearing towards him.

Tai swiped at the ice spike, shattering it only inches to spare from his nose, he lifted his sword up and advanced, focusing on the tunnel ahead and whoever was hiding when he caught movement from below. His ankle gave way, wrenched towards the edge by a water whip in the little stream running underneath him. He pitched over the edge, catching a full view of the darkness before air buzzed around his sword and he jammed it into the side of the bridge.

He gritted his teeth, sweating and beginning to breathe heavily as he dangled over the massive pit, unable to pull himself up without his wound sending burning tendrils into his thoughts, clouding them over in a thick haze.

A single thought burned away the distraction, and he ignored his shoulder's protests as he swung his body from side to side, only needing a little more momentum before he let go of the sword's handle and reached for the edge of the bridge.

His fingers worked to find purchase in the crumbling mortar, but it held long enough for him to swing his legs up and over. He rolled onto the bridge with a heavy grunt, quickly reaching down and pulling his sword out with a stream of wild air, bringing it to bear against the figure at the other side of the tunnel.

"Thought I smelled a shark-rat. And even while looking for one too." Tonrik's teeth gleamed as he walked into the light.

On either side of him, a Red Monsoon emerged out of the gloom, hoods up hiding their faces from view. "I'm surprised to find you down here, airbender. So far away from your breezy little island. And even without our lovely Avatar to boot."

At the thought of her, he grinded his teeth. He shook his head, refocusing on the bloodbender and his lackeys.

Tonrik grinned. "D'aww. I can see that raw nerve from here."

"Out of my way."

"You're in Monsoon turf, idiot. And I'm liking the idea of thanking you for escaping and making such a mess of things for my father and I. Who knows, after I'm done with you I'll pay a visit to her."

A hissing sound surfaced in his ears, coming from every angle. He narrowed his eyes and took a step forward, when frothing streams of water bursted from the open drainholes in the chamber walls, falling as curtains down the curved walls before being kept aloft by the three Monsoons, all of them hurtling towards him from every side.

He dived off of the bridge, tumbling in the air above the pit for a few moments under the huge torrents smashing together in the center before pointing a hand below and blasting a stream of air, carrying him upwards above it all.

Tai kept a grip on his sword as he angled towards the bloodbenders, focusing on the stupid sadistic grin on Tonrik's face as he began to fall back down. Another blast of air shunted him forwards and down, his sword extended in front of him-

A rumble made him look down in time to see a giant spout of water slam up into him, taking his breath away and nearly tearing his sword out of his grip. He gasped for air as he sank into the stream, helpless to do anything as Tonrik gave him the look of someone watching a fish trapped in a tank and swept his hand downwards, stepping to the side. "Having fun?"

The boy gurgled and tumbled as the stream slammed him downwards into the tunnel floor with a loud yell and several cracks. Gasping for air he stumbled to his feet, slipping to one knee and struggling to rise again as he tried to refocus on the bloodbenders advancing towards him.

Dripping and soaked to the bone, the boy managed to stand despite the cracks in his shoulder and ribs and the wind knocked out of him. Loosely he held his sword up, gritting his teeth as he focused on guiding a thin series of sparks over the edge of his blade. "My turn." He managed to gasp out.

The sparks caught and a line of fire danced over the blade, covering it completely, hissing and releasing wisps of steam as the water coating the silvery metal hissed and bubbled before evaporating away.

"Usually that would take you out for the count. At least you're durable."

Not wasting his time on any more words, Tai lifted the sword and pointed at the bloodbending idiot as he advanced forwards, making sure that the fiery blade would be the focus of their attention.

They advanced, although now with a little hesitation. Tonrik still had the grin on, but it was a little forced. "Neat trick."

He answered with a yell as a fiery look surfaced in his eyes and sparks flickered all across the tunnel.

Tonrik's thugs glanced at each other with alarm, while he finally wiped the grin off and quickly raised his hands, elbows bent and fingers in crooked positions.

Tai felt the itch surface in his muscles just before the tunnel lit up and the sparks blazed into outright fire, filling the space with heat and blossoming orange. The fire sucked the moisture out of the air as he raised his own arms and pushed forwards with all his might, his view of the three thugs completely blocked by a wall of orange and red rushing forwards to where they stood in front of the silo chamber.

Yells of alarm were all he heard before being cut off.

Turning his back on them and setting his eyes forward, he kept moving down the tunnel. His muscles locked up and his eyes boggled as a invisible hand punched him in the gut, forcing him to his knees in the dirty water.

Tai gasped as he tipped forwards, writhing as his muscles protested and his blood twisted and roiled as he heard foosteps behind him. "Neat trick." He heard Tonrik say between heavy breaths.

The boy couldn't move or struggle as he was lifted into the air, being turned to face the absolutely livid Tonrik as streams of water coiled around his extended arms and legs, encircling them entirely before suddenly flash-freezing into lengths of ice connecting to points on the ceiling and floor.

Tai hung there, spreadeagled and completely at Tonrik's mercy while his own blood suppressed any attempt to move. He couldn't even drop his sword. "You know, I think there's something different about you. What's Korra gonna think when I gut you?" His eyes lit up at the flicker of a growl across Tai's features. "There it is. Must have been quite a itch you needed to scratch, huh? We've all been there."

The bloodbender advanced with seething breaths as a spike of ice formed out of vapor in his hand, it's tip aimed up at his heart. "Now, this'll be nice and slow, airbender-" Something took his attention away, and before Tai knew it, a cube of rock slammed into the Water Triber's shoulder, spinning him around and sending him back, shattering the ice spike and loosening the ice growths keeping him suspended and frozen.

Tonrik sputtered and growled. "What was-" Another slammed straight into his chest, getting a oof out of him as he was thrown to the ground.

Something broke the growths on his arms and legs, and Tai dropped to the ground with a gasp. A hand grabbed his shoulder to steady him. His movements groggy, Tai managed to focus on a pair of shifty eyes glanced back at him, before looking forwards to see Tonrik retreating across the bridge, his foosteps echoing in the huge chamber.

He managed to catch his breath as his shoulder burned. Tai swallowed as his vision strengthened and he saw how his rescuer was. "L-Ling?"

"Just so you know, it hurts to move." The earthbender answered.

Tai went to say more, when a single thought ringed through his head. He grimaced as he turned away from Ling, keeping a hand on his side as he bent to pick up his sword. "I- I can't stay. I need to keep moving."

"Tai? Where are you going?"

The airbender set his jaw and limped forwards, slowly moving away from Ling while keeping his sights firmly on the darkness ahead, leaving the earthbender and his questions behind.

Ling fought to keep his eyes open, breathing heavily and wishing the airbender could have stayed. "Damn. It would have been good to have some backup down here." he muttered.

* * *

_City Hall._

_...And finally, what about the subject of the once star-jewel of Republic City's industrial elite? The girl who owns a company directly connected to the terrorist attacks last year, and from whom a shipment 'meant' for the United Forces was stolen, somehow winding up in the hands of disenfranchised and disgruntled non-bender thugs. She has a lot of explaining to do, and this business about rigging her own factory is not helping matters-"_

Behind the wolf helmet, Boto shook his head and flicked off the radio, preferring the whine of the engine over the garbage being talked about so much on the radio now. In some way he felt responsible for Asami's current predicament, remembering how much of a disaster the case became when they discovered the Red Monsoon's involvement. Eve worse, he felt that they weren't even the ones receiving the shipment, just the ones who stole it.

He shook his head, trying to slip back in the lull of guiding the cycle through the bends and curves of the streets when he caught sight of a familiar firebender standing on the streetside, holding a brown bag in her hands.

Boto slipped around the side of a midnight blue satomobile, trimmed with gaudy silver finish. He pressed on the brake, coaxing the bike to slow down to a stop just in front of her.

"Care to give me a ride?"

"Depends. What do I get out of it?" Boto smirked behind the wolf helmet at Sensha, only for his eyes to light up when she also smirked and dragged a flaky piece of bread out of the bag, almost orange in texture with black spices liberally sprinkled on it.

"Fire-bread."

"Hop on."

She grinned and moved to the back of the bike, swinging her leg over and getting comfortable before wrapping her arms around his midriff to keep from falling off. "Haven't done this in a while." Sensha grabbed some of the fire-bread, chewing on it.

Boto nodded and slipped his helmet back on. He strummed the accelerator with his foot for a second before the engine geared back up and the bike took off along the road. Over the loud whine of the engine he needed to shout. "How's the White Lotus bodyguard thing going?"

"Fine."

He sensed a tone of annoyance in her voice but didn't say anything. "I get a bit annoyed when she orders me to stay back with her brother, though while she gets Bolin all to-" Sensha squeaked and fell silent.

"Really?"

Over his shoulder he caught a small nod from the girl. "Uh. What are you doing here, anyway?"

"I tried getting access to some records from the hospital, but it was a no go. I'm gonna try City Hall instead. Just some old fashion sleuthing, Sen."

City Hall came into view over the open space of Celestial Square up ahead. Boto slipped in and out of satomobile traffic on the roads surrounding the square before taking the bend and coming onto another road, mostly absent except for black police cars and even a armored truck. He raised a eyebrow at the sight before turning the bike again onto the road running in front of the auspicious building.

He guided to bike to a slow stop against the curb in front of the building's massive steps. Boto flipped the kickstand down and grabbed his keyes, killing the engine as he took off his wolf helmet, keeping it cradled in his elbow as he stood on the pavement for Sensha to join him.

"So, what are you hoping to find here?"

"Just some information someone gave me back at the South Pole." Boto's eyes darkened a little and his heartrate quickened just remembering the frozen confines of the dead ship. He quickly banished the memory and focused on his friend. "Sorry."

Sensha nodded slowly. "Okay... have you heard about the council meeting earlier today? Korra and Asami were there."

"Yeah. Things didn't go well." Boto grimaced as the two of them began moving up the steps, catching a few glimpses of burnt-out flash bulbs scattered on the ground and a few pencils as well, looking like they were trampled underfoot.

She pushed the tips of her fingers together as she followed him towards the top of the steps. "I hope they're okay."

Boto came to a stop before the the main doors. "Usually we would have been greeted by now."

Sensha raised a eyebrow as she stopped by his side, watching as he moved forwards and pushed open the hefty double doors. The hinges uttered a drawn-out groan that eerily echoed throughout the main hall inside. Boto glanced back at her. She followed him cautiously, the two of them slowly making their way along the length of the dimly lit hall, devoid of any movement apart from their own. "How many people work here?"

"Under a hundred. The Council Page should be around, I need him to get access to the city registry."

"Okay. So let's look around."

"Top floor first. That's where the offices are."

Boto turned and made his way through the benches with Sensha trailing behind, heading towards the corners of the hall where the staircases were located. Their footsteps carried in the huge space as they went up the polished stone steps, taking a few seconds before coming out on the balconies flanking the main floor of the hall on both sides.

"Maybe they're out for lunch?"

"Sensha."

"I know." She couldn't hide the worried look on her as they walked across the balcony, stopping at the entrance to a corridor running from it into the flanks of the huge building. "Just don't want to think of the alternative."

Boto sighed. "Yeah. We should have seen someone by now." Boto went a few steps down the corridor, glancing at the brass nameplates set on the walls next to the closed doors ahead. "Okay. The registry room is right here. I'll only be a couple of minutes-"

Someone squeaked in terror, stopping the two of them. Sensha glanced at the closed door on the wall opposite the registry room. She glanced at Boto, giving him a nod.

"Check it out." he whispered, before turning away from her to the closed door. A thin film of water formed around his extended hand, arranging into a flat disc with a sharp edge. He eased it into the gap between the door and the doorframe, aiming for the lock mechanism.

Sensha reached for the handle of the other closed door, turning it to find out it wasn't locked. She threw a glance at Boto over her shoulder before fully turning it, putting her shoulder to the wood and gradually pushing the door open.

She peered into the room, surprised to find upturned desks, stacks of paper crumpled and trodden into the carpet, and broken furniture all over the dark-toned room.

A sinking feeling told her that the other rooms probably look similar. She slowly moved in, a hand up at any sign of trouble when she caught hurried movement in the corner of her eye. She whipped her leg up and down, only to freeze it in mid-air at the sight of the quivering Council Page, his hands feebly trying to shield himself from the blow.

Her eyes wide she quickly dropped her foot and moved to help him, extending her hand for him to grab from behind the upturned desk. "What happened?"

"I- I wasn't sure, I was on my lunch break when firebenders broke in and kidnapped most of the other staff!"

Sensha frozed on the spot for a moment, before shaking her head and pulling the thin man to his feet. "How long ago?"

"A couple of hours, t-the the council had left by then and-"

She looked up to see Boto standing in the doorway, clutching a folder in his hand that he kept throwing dark glances at. "Got the info, but the place has been ransacked-" he stopped and saw the Council Page. "Sir? Are you alright?"

"No, I'm not alright! You need to get the police over here, Lieutenant. Firebenders broke in and took hostages with them!"

For the first time in her life, Sensha saw Boto pale. "Agni Kais." he breathed.

* * *

_Air Temple Island._

Asami rubbed a hand up and down her arm as she stared out at the waves lapping at the island cliffs. Her thoughts tripped over themselves every time she tried to collect them, still in shock that she was being blamed for what happened to her own factory.

Iroh and Verick had sent her a survey of the damage not long after she and Korra left City Hall. Luckily there wasn't any permanent damage to the building, most of it could be repaired within days by a team of skilled metalbenders and firebenders and production would be up again, although it would take a week at the most for the assembly lines to begin running again, losing her the manufacturing edge that Future Industries had over its rivals.

The workshop had been hit the hardest, most of the prototypes she kept in there had been completely destroyed, wiping away months of work and frustration. It would be expensive, but she could recover from those blows too, still in possession of the blueprints at her personal workshop on the Estate.

The biggest loss would be the mecha tanks she was working on. She could have changed so much with them.

She grimaced to herself. _"_I'm sorry you had to hear that, Asami."

Asami looked over her shoulder at Korra. The Avatar fidgeted uncomfortably as she stood in the doorway. Asami turned to her friend and managed a smile. "It's okay."

Korra studied her for a few moments before sighing. "If you say so... I'm, uh, going up to see Tenzin. Wanna come with?"

"Yeah." As Korra turned around she stared down at the floor for a few moments, before following her into the building, bypassing the stairs leading to the ground floor and coming to the T junction made by the hallway. "Hopefully Tenzin can figure out a way to fix this. I can't believe they seriously think you would do that to your own company."

Asami remained quiet as she followed Korra down the hallway, keeping her eyes on the wooden walls and floorboards instead of on her friend. She looked up as Korra waited for her by the doorway to Tenzin's study, giving her another smile.

Korra returned it as she laid her hand on the edge of the sliding door. "I'm sure they can figure something out. Maybe they'll-"

She slid the door to the side and stepped into Tenzin's study, stopping when she saw Kya, Lin and Bumi gathered around the radio on the corner of his desk, while Tenzin sat with his cane laid in front of him, stroking his chin furiously.

"Guys, we need to-"

Kya looked up at her and Asami with a grim look. "Korra you need to hear this."

As they approached Bumi turned up the dial on the radio, allowing the deep tones of the person speaking to be heard loud and clear, putting chills down Asami and Korra's spines.

_"...Avatar Korra. I'm sure by now that you have heard our esteemed council's verdict on the bombing of Future Industries. Let me put those concerns to rest, and say that my Agni Kais are responsible."_

Korra closed her eyes at the sound of the deep and smooth tones of the man speaking. Her mind whirled as it brought her back her encounter with him in the street as the city burned, when he threatened to end Tai's life. "K-Kazon..." she whispered, getting nods from the adults around the desk and a look of shock from Asami.

Lin's eyes narrowed and the woman clenched her hands. "Knew it." she muttered, glancing at the stricken girl.

Asami stepped forward, her thoughts going at a whirl, forming dozens of reasons for why the firebending Triad would target her company when the voice on the radio continued.

_"During the great razing of the Pro-Bending Arena, my family members also launched simultaneous strikes on Shou Kou hospital and many clinics of the city. During these raids several waterbending medics and non-benders have been taken hostage. Not to mention a few lackeys from City Hall."_

_"_My healers..." Kya whispered, her eyes glued to the speaker on the radio like it was responsible.

"Rat bastard..." Bumi had a fiery glint in his eyes as he scowled.

Tenzin looked at them both, before settling on Korra and Asami as they stood, frozen in place, only able to listen.

_"I want to make a deal in exchange for their safe return: You surrender yourself to me and I will return all of them, safe and sound. A representative will send you the location of the exchange. That is all, Avatar."_

Korra froze, her hands clenched.

"Oh no.." Asami whispered, her face white as she stared at the little radio.

* * *

火


	7. The Smoking Ruin, the Fiery Eyes

**A/N**

Somebody's a little angry. And something's a little fishy.

Now, I've never really done this kind of plea before and I'm hating myself right now for even writing it out. But I kinda want to see some more reviews. You guys have stuck with this for so long and I'm really jazzed to see some feedback on what parts you like and which parts you don't.

DrVrtx is doing his best and he's a hell of a reviewer, but that's not really enough.

I'm really sorry to ask this of you, but can you please put in some reviews?

Now that the bad taste has kind of left my mouth, don't forget to enjoy the chapter.

* * *

火

* * *

_Republic City Wharfs._

Lin scowled as she scanned over each and every one of the motionless, masked firebenders standing at crisp attention at regular intervals throughout the burnt down ruins across the street from her officers and the barricade.

She looked up at the airships hovering above, their searchlights shining down through tears in the building's collapsed roof, casting a half-light on the mess of gnarled wood, twisted metal, and scorched remains within. Crimson-clothed figures were scattered throughout the ruined maze, with only two of their number standing watch over the clusters of people herded into the center.

Behind the sheds and storage areas surrounding the wrecked ruin the waters of Yue bay lapped against the sea wall, as sleek metal speed boats and larger patrolships encircled the area.

"Ma'am."

Nisha and Hei moved to her side, casting glances across the street. "Our estimate puts at least fifty hostages in there. Medics, the staff from City Hall... even some of our own boys still recovering."

"And going on our latest sources of their numbers, this isn't even a fraction of their total number." Hei added.

"Got it." Lin murmured, giving the two of them a nod and turning back to the warehouse, watching as a hooded man came out of the shadowed depths of the wrecked building, appearing from what used to be the main loading bay with a calm smile on his features.

Even from here, she could smell ashes and charcoal coming from the Agni Kai leader.

"There will be no negotiation, Kazon!" she shouted. In response she saw a twinkle in his golden eyes.

"Nor would I expect any from the daughter of Toph Beifong." He kept his voice at a low even tone, yet still managed to make it carry across to her with ease. "I have already stated my demands to the entire city. It is up to you and them whether they will be met."

"You're surrounded! Airships above, water patrols behind you, and one hundred of my metalbenders eager to put your entire Triad behind bars!"

"There are only twenty of us."

On either side of her, ducking down behind long metal sheets stretched across the length of the sidewalk as a barricade, her officers glanced at her and at each other.

Lin scowled, annoyed that the Agni Kais couldn't have a picked worse place to hole up if they tried. It would just be a simple case of ordering her officers to bend the entire building and trap them inside, keeping a airship overhead to watch for escape attempts while teams entered from the sewers and apprehended them. In one fell swoop she could have this done. But they needed the hostages safe first.

Kazon's smile unsettled her, derailing her thoughts about sending everyone in now. He flicked a piece of burnt wood nearby. "Although it is fair to say that we have prepared ourselves with some... adjustments to the locale."

The burnt wood had a strange sheen to it as the sun broke through the overcast clouds overhead for just a second, and Lin saw that the entire ruin was coated. At a unknown signal the Agni Kais visible to them summoned a flame in their hand, over cries of alarm and screaming from inside the twisted depths of the warehouse. Kazon gave her a small nod. "You make a move I do not approve of, and we will purify them."

* * *

_Police Headquarters._

Saikhan cleared his throat before stepping up to the delicate-looking microphone, his hands placed on either side of the smooth metal cylinder on which it rested on. Below the raised section he stood on, the room buzzed with murmuring as the gathered crowd of metalbenders, beat cops, firefighters and medics waited for their chief to begin.

"You know I'm no good when it comes to talking your ears off, so I'll get straight to brass tacks. The Agni Kais, in their infinite wisdom, have decided to take at least fifty known hostages from Shou Kou General, clinics all across the boroughs, and most brazenly, City Hall itself." His voice bounced around the room with a scratchy tone to it.

He glanced over his shoulder at Tenzin and Korra, as they stood next to Makei. Saikhan turned back to his officers. "We've been running ourselves ragged trying to police the boroughs, with at least a third of our manned airships in the workshops for repair and refit since the attack a month ago. As such, gaps in our patrol coverage have surfaced, enabling the Agni Kais to slip through and take advantage of our low manpower."

Turning around, he extended a thin metal rod from his wrist bracer, and tapped the map behind him. "They're holed up in a warehouse owned by Future Industries that burned down last year, during Amon's little reign of terror.

Behind him, Korra stiffened, but didn't say anything as she shared a glance with Tenzin.

Next to her Makei arched a eyebrow "Something to add, Avatar?"

Korra glanced at Tenzin before answering. "When I was working with Tarrlok and his taskforce, that was one of the places where we found Amon."

"And my student."

Makei gave him a nod, feeling conflicted about the complicated look on Korra before turning back to Saikhan's brief.

"Ancient history aside, our priority are those hostages. Commander Beifong is at the site right now with a hundred officers, their orders are to keep the area locked down until we have a game plan ready for action. Many of these have already been issued to the squads on duty for the operation, although there still a few more I need to personally oversee." Saikhan scanned the crowd until he found Mako and Boto near the front, standing next to each other with grim expressions. "No need for me mention to stakes here, everyone. Dismissed."

Saikhan rubbed his chin as he moved around the side of the podium to the edge of the raised floor, he pointed at Mako and Boto. "You're with me."

Behind him, Tenzin and Korra moved towards him while Makei headed off the stage towards Mako and Boto. "Saikhan."

"Follow me, Tenzin."

Tenzin nodded. "Right." He turned to Korra, seeing the nervous expression on her as she watched Mako follow Boto and Saikhan out of the debriefing hall. He tapped her thigh with the cane and gestured forwards. "You alright?"

"What? Yeah, let's go." He followed her across the stage the best he could with the cane, lagging behind soon enough. She went down the short series of steps leading to it and stepped off to the side, glancing at him while he made his own way down them.

She led the way out of the empty room into the chaotic hallways, passing by technicians and medics and the rare few metalbenders left to man the building while the others were on duty. She always kept by Tenzin's side,casting a eye on him every time it looked like he would lag.

Tenzin kept up with her as she rounded a corner, jogging ahead to stop the waiting elevator from closing and leaving without them. She waited until he was inside first, and stepped through after him closing the doors behind them.

The doors closed. The elevator rumbled to life and started its climb.

"So... how do you think he's doing?"

Tenzin looked up at her, seeing that she had her eyes on the floor. "A little time to himself will be good for him. We'll talk to him once we come back home."

Korra hesitated before giving him a short nod, breathing a shaky breath when she couldn't contain herself any longer. "...I'm worried."

He blinked twice and turned to her. She rubbed her wrists as she stared at the wall rather than him, breathing out sharply and closing her eyes. "Not just about the hostages... about the spirit. More happened after it left the markets."

"I..." Korra opened her hands and stared down at them. Tenzin used all of his self-discipline in remaining silent. "I tried using waterbending on it like before... then... Rorik used his bloodbending to control it." Her eyes flicked up at him with a light of worry. "That shouldn't be possible, Tenzin. And on a spirit no less."

Tenzin hid his shock as he came over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "All the more reason to deal with this crisis and work out what to do about him."

She loosed a shaky sigh and nodded, just as the elevator slowed to a stop and the bell ringed. The doors opened, and Tenzin gently steered her in front of him. Korra buried her nerves for now and made her way down the hallway and around the bend, setting her sights on Saikhan's office door. She didn't bother with a knock, pushing the door open and making her way across his office to his desk where he, Mako and Boto were gathered about.

"Alright, so what kind of plan have we got going?" Korra ignored that Mako kept focusing his gaze on every part of the room except her, throwing out any childish problems she had with him and focused solely on Saikhan.

"We've kicked about a few plans. Most of them involve waiting until we've got enough men before picking them off one by one and packing Kazon's little firecrackers off to the pound."

"There is one problem with that, though." Boto added, glancing at the chief before looking at her. "They've covered the entire place in fuel. One spark and-"

Korra paled. "You've gotta be joking."

"Which is why we wait until we have more men and enough waterbenders to siphon the fuel."

"We gotta get in there, we can't wait around!"

"Are you suggesting I just throw men at the problem until it goes away?" Saikhan folded his arms and gave her a frank look. "I'd love to hear your strategies, Avatar."

She loosed a frustrated grunt. "Fine. Me, I can get them out of there."

Saikhan shook his head. "Even though you're the Avatar, there's no way you can just go in there and grab the hostages. Kazon has the advantage here. He's dug in, and will expect you to show up."

"Not much we can do except keep him surrounded." Boto shook his head and sighed, knowing that she wouldn't even begin to accept that was they could do. He arched a eyebrow at the reluctant look that had surfaced on her for only a second, before being wiped away by a determined nod.

"I can give myself up."

Mako narrowed his eyes at her, while Boto stared at his old friend as the words hung in the air of the office. Saikhan grumbled something under his breath and shook his head. She ignored it. "It's my decision. There's no need for anyone to be in danger because he wants me." she stuck a thumb at her chest. "He can have me."

"Korra-"

Boto stared at her. "But that's what he wants, the moment you turn yourself over to him he will just kill the hostages and be on his way- Korra, we do need to finish this quickly, but that is not the way."

"You're just going to give yourself to Kazon? No way, you're reckless - but that's crazy!"

"Out of the question, Avatar. Like it or not, you're too important to use as a bargaining chip!" Saikhan had his hand tightened into a fist as he glared up at her. "Soon as we kowtow to him, we can kiss goodbye any leverage!"

In the midst of this, Mako held Korra's gaze, torn for a few moments by what he used to know her as and what she was to him now. He held his tongue.

"In any case, before we even commit to any of these plans, we need to ensure that the Agni Kais can't grab anyone else. Boto."

"Sir?"

"I'm assigning you to guard Kya and her waterbenders, the Agni Kais might try and nab them for a extra bargaining chip over us."

"Of course, sir."

"And me, sir?" Mako looked away from Korra.

"You'll be manning the barricade with Commander Beifong."

For a moment Mako went to argue that he should be on the squads going into the building, but Saikhan's look stopped him. Behind them, the door opened.

"Wu, what are you doing here?"

The old man had his back held high as he strode across to the desk with purpose, giving a nod to Tenzin and Korra before he came to a stop. "Hear me out. Chief Saikhan, there will be no need for you to risk any of your men in trying to bring back the hostages by force."

"And what is you magical fix-all solution, councilman? We're running out of time here, so-"

"Kazon used to be my subordinate back in the Fire Nation. His personal honor will dictate that he follow any order I give. Avatar." Wu turned to her with a curt nod. "There is no need for you to be involved. I suggest you wait on Air Temple Island while the crisis is dealt with."

Korra clenched her hands.

* * *

She made her way past the backs of a line of armored trucks sitting in the open space before the building, focusing on getting to Naga before Tenzin or anyone else tried to stop her.

Naga pricked her ears and looked up at Korra as she approached the small covered loading bay situated to the side of Police Headquarters.

"Taking you for a run, girl." Korra stopped and held her palm out for Naga to nuzzle, before moving around her and checking her saddlebags. She looked at the armored trucks, watching as lines of metalbenders, some of them enclosed in bulky plated armor with only their eyes visible behind a helmet and metal facemask, trudged into the open backs of the trucks, followed by waterbenders wearing simple robes with a stylized water drop of deep blue emblazoned on their chests.

The girl saw a pair of narrowed golden eyes looking at her, courtesy of Mako escorting Saikhan and Councilman Wu into one of the trucks. She narrowed her eyes, but gave him a nod. "Don't get hurt." she murmured.

Korra turned away from the sight, and focused on what she was doing. She tightened the straps, tugging on them to make sure the saddle wouldn't slip from Naga's back when she would be running through the streets.

"Are you sure this is the wisest decision?" Korra finished pulling on a strap near Naga's shoulder, a scowl on her as she stared at the back of the storage shed instead of him. She knew what he was here to do.

A few moments passed before she loosed a sigh and turned to face him. "Tenzin, I'm not going to sit here while they-"

He nodded, shifting his grip on the cane a little. "I'm not arguing that, Korra." I'm only worried. And I'm only here to wish you good luck. Plus..."

Boto moved around him, the hem of his trenchcoat whipping in the wind a little as he folded his arms gave a slight nod to Naga. "Only on the condition that you at least have someone responsible watching your back."

"Boto?"

"Beats being stuck watching Kya and her medics. No offense, ma'am."

"Ugh. Like I need a babysitter." Kya moved around her brother towards the young waterbender, and punched him on the shoulder, smirking at his surprised yelp before looking at her. "What Korra's doing would be much more fun. Don't sweat it. I trained these guys. They can handle a couple of thugs. Bring back the others, yeah?"

"Of course, lady Kya." He rubbed his shoulder, having a feeling he knew where Korra got the shoulder-punch obsession from. Boto stopped in front of Naga. The polar-bear dog greeted him with a low hum, tilting her head for him to scratch behind her ear.

"Well, what are we standing around for? Get going!"

Korra nodded with a small smile. "I'll be careful." She looked at Tenzin, clasping her hands and bowing to him. "I promise."

He returned it. "I know you will."

* * *

_Wharf District__._

A tired groan lifted from Tai as he exercised his strained muscles, shoulder burning as he worked to lift the huge metal bar up and unblock the gate. As he gritted his teeth with the effort he caught a glimpse of two shimmering gold eyes floating in a haze in the confines of the tiny passageway behind the bars.

He shook his head, stuffing any thoughts about where exactly he was going away and working on keeping a grip on the bar as he slowly lifted it fully upright, freeing the gate and letting him swing it open with a crash.

Looking about for a moment he stepped through, touching a hand to his scabbard as he continued through the dark and twisting passage, focused on what he would find on the other side, or who he would find.

His steps echoed off the walls around him as his thoughts coursed at a crawl, slowed by fatigue and clouded by the whispers he kept hearing at the edges of his mind since leaving the safety of Air Temple Island.

For a second he flicked his eyes downward and stopped in his tracks, bracing a hand against the smooth wall and feeling the dampness. No-one knew where he was. He didn't know where he was. He didn't even know where he was going, or why.

In front of him two golden eyes flashed like fire in the air. He stared into them and all of his thoughts about air temple island burned away, leaving only the single-minded focus to keep going. To save his brother by finding the man who ruined his life.

Tai shook his head and the eyes went away. He continued forwards, soon catching snippets of voices echoing into the tunnel from up ahead. Automatically he paced out his steps, even enjoying the mobility that came with leaving that stupid longcoat behind.

His eyes narrowed when he came to the end of the tunnel at the sight of a group of crimson-clothed men and women warming themselves with a pile of burning trash stuffed in a empty barrel behind another gate barring the tunnel. His fingers went up to free his blade a little from the sheath as he pressed his back to the wall, the orange robes he wore sticking against the damp surface a bit.

"...Time's up, ain't it?"

"Sure. We can't keep them waiting."

"Yeah. Got it, Luza."

Behind the barred gate he extended a couple of fingers near the thick lock, weaving them in small movements for a few seconds while he kept his eyes on the Agni Kais leaving the barrel behind for the ladder at the other end of the room, bathed in bright light as it led to the surface.

A second passed before he suddenly flicked his finger up, manipulating the pockets of air inside the lock chamber to push the pins upwards. The barred gate groaned as it swung open, echoing into the room ahead and through the tunnel behind him.

He loosened his sword a little more, anticipating and spoiling for a fight, but the two triad members had already made their way up the ladder, leaving the room empty except for him.

Dropping his hands he stepped out onto a concrete walkway hugging the side of the room. He swung his head to the side, looking down where the tunnel continued deeper into the sewers. For a moment he could see something standing in the gloom, a glint of green by it's side. He shook his head and it was gone, turning to the ladder, looking up and squinting at the stark brightness. He held onto the ladder's thin frame, and started to climb.

Soon he reached the top, met with a thick and sturdy manhole cover blocking his way, as he expected. Air whistled down through the holes drilled into the disc as he slowly let go of a rung with one hand and placed it flat on the underbelly of the cover. Closing his eyes for a moment he grunted and pushed upwards with a windy pulse, lifting it up and out of his way. The light of the grey mid-morning fully shone down on him, assaulting his eyes as he clawed his way out of manhole.

He stepped to the side, keeping in the shadow of a dumpster as his eyes readjusted to the light. Blinking, he saw that he was in a alleyway sandwiched between two buildings yawning above him. Tai waited a few moments before stepping out into the open, looking behind him at a silent street and in front of him at a chain link fence blocking his way, beyond it a burnt and hollowed-out ruin of some kind.

His eyes narrowed.

* * *

"Ma'am, trucks are coming in now."

Lin broke away from her vigil on the barricade and turned to Hei, hands on her hips. "Finally. We can get this show on the road."

The stones on the street she stood on rumbled and shook as a cavalcade of huge grey trucks rumbled towards her in a long line of six, the huge bulbous headlights on their bonnets reflecting the overcast day's light as the drivers urged them forwards, wearing thick gloves and green goggles while they sat at the wheel. The cab of the truck swept upwards to merge seamlessly with the smooth-shelled trailer carrying the passengers and their equipment.

She silently mouthed a word of thanks to Asami for working with Keigo on the new designs as the trucks gradually broke off from the convoy one by one, slowing to a stop and opening their side-facing doors.

Armored officers trooped out from each truck, filing into organized lines as their squad leaders ran checks on their equipment. Two of the last passengers to leave the leading truck wore nowhere near as much armor at all, and Lin couldn't help a brief scowl at the sight of Councilman Wu approaching with his hands clasped behind his back and Mako escorting him.

The old Fire Nation man inclined his head to her while Mako stood off to one side, watching the street like a hawk. "Commander. Saikhan briefed you?"

"Yeah. And it still sounds crazy."

Wu grinned at her. "Risking one old man is better than risking able-bodied young men and women. And the Fire Nation can easily replace me."

Despite all of her frustration spent dealing with him and making her wish for the old council come back, she felt incredulous that she was able to have a kernel of respect for the old man. "Five minutes and we're coming in, councilman."

"Noted, Commander Beifong. If things do not go as planned, then this is a goodbye."

With that the Fire Nation man nodded to her and to Mako, moving past the two of them to the central span of the barricade where a metalbender office manned his post. He exchanged a few words with the young man, and the officer glanced at Lin.

She nodded and he saluted the councilman, placing his hand on the metal wall and sliding it across, opening the way onto the street between them and the Agni Kais.

The old man stepped out onto the street and the young officer closed the wall behind him.

Lin saw the look on Mako. "I don't like this. We just handed them another hostage."

"His choice, kid. Being a pig-headed firebender could work out for him in dealing with those gangsters."

"Uh, hey, Mako. Excuse me." Hei pushed past the firebender. "Ma'am, just got a report from one of the airships. They spotted movement on the vacated buildings around the warehouse perimeter."

"Is it the Agni Kais?"

"Maybe, it was only one person though."

She stroked her chin for a few seconds. "Have a squad approach from that side to hem them in. The rest will go as we planned."

"Planned?" Mako raised a eyebrow and folded his arms. "I thought the plan was to let Wu negotiate."

"He has five minutes. After that, we go in, Mako."

Mako arched a eyebrow at her as she put her fingers to her lips and blew a sharp whistle, getting the attentions of the men and women around her. They gathered to her and she pointed over the wall. "Councilman Wu has gone in there to negotiate release for the hostages. And we're gonna back him up. Five minutes and we hit the building."

Snippets of a chorus of frightened voices made her glance upwards.

A sentry waved to get her attention. "Hey, the hostages! They're coming out!"

"That was fast." Lin murmured to herself, she turned and walked towards the central section of the wall, spreading her hands outwards and opening them to catch a view of a crowd of people running towards them. "Very fast."

She turned back to her men. "Change of plans. Get these people away from here!"

Lin went to shout more instructions when a rumble ran through the street underneath them and beyond. She held her arm out for balance as she noticed pinpricks of brilliant light shining from in between the gaps of the warehouse's ruined exterior, accompanied by fires spreading from within the heart of the building.

Her officers began to shout among themselves as she turned to them. "Get them away from there now!"

* * *

He looked into the heart of the warehouse from his perch on the broken and twisted roof covering the entire ruin in a broken shadow, seeing glimpses of a large crowd of people.

He didn't bother wondering why that was. The two sentries crossed across the perimeter marked by the supports and headed around the other side away from him. Tai took his chance and sprinted across the open space between the generator and the building, hopping over the blasted remains of a doorframe and a fallen slab with a wheel on its front within it, blackened and puckered with shrapnel.

Tai stopped and wheeled around in the direction the two sentries had gone, keeping close to the edge of the ruins as he came to what was roughly one of the building's corners. He peered around it, watching the two of them disappear into the upper reaches of the building after going up a set of strangely intact stairs.

He threw a glance behind him at some approaching voices and looked upwards, grabbing a jutting piece of rebar and hanging from it with his feet dangling. He gritted his teeth, sweating with the effort of keeping himself there while he formed a cushion of air beneath his feet. The voices came closer as he prepared himself for the release of pressure.

The boy kicked downwards, springing upwards and setting his sights on the edges of the torn and battered roof above. He bit down on a gasp as the wickedly jagged edge bit into his fingers, but he held on anyway, hoisting himself up and onto the corrugated metal before the Agni Kais could discover him.

A searchlight sweeped irregularly over the area in front of him, forcing him to change and switch direction to avoid being bathed in its stark light as he moved across the roof, stepping over holes and crossing tears. He approached the center of the roof, pockmarked with enough rents and tears that air conditioning would be pointless. He stopped at one of the larger holes, looking down into a massive space onto the heads of a large group of people, some of them wearing deep blue caps and white robes, others in dark grey uniforms, and the majority in mixed clothing and styles of all kinds.

He grimaced at the sight, wondering if this truly was the place when a whisper invaded his thoughts, urging him to brace himself on the sides of the hole and swing himself onto a walkway in the upper reaches of the space. It had snapped free of the support struts keeping it aloft in many places, but still held enough for him to walk on.

Below him a robed man walked into view, his movements calm even as the Agni Kais converged on him. Tai stopped to watch the proceedings, his attention focused on the hooded man standing at the head of the crowd of fearful people, while next to him was somebody he definitely knew.

He watched as Oranis approached the old man being flanked by a gang member on either side. Her voice floated up to him. "...It's been a while."

The old man looked to the Agni Kais holding him before shaking them free and smoothing down his huge sleeves. "I am here for the hostages, and to instruct your father on yet another misstep."

Tai arched a eyebrow, his curiosity overtaking his desire to take down the hooded man as he watched him bend down on one knee and bow his head. "Father. I have done what you-"

"You've tried to suit it to your own selfish goals, boy. And you've got my idiot of a granddaughter running around drawing too much attention. Letting her bomb the arena was your idea?"

"It suited our partner."

"Yes. I've heard stories of this 'partner'. And letting someone like that run free will only derail proceedings." The old man level a look reserved for a annoying insect at Oranis. "Much like they already have."

Suddenly the hooded man got to his feet, placing a hand between the robed old man and Oranis. "Guard your tongue in front of my daughter, councilman. And I won't burn you alive."

"And you will once again ruin any advantage we have. Like when I tasked you to deal with Anzo? You were too late and missed the opportunity, instead siccing your men on that backwater of a village while you indulged in sating your personal honor!"

The words floated up to him loud and clear, sharp in his ears. And his breath caught for a moment, before he narrowed his eyes and clenched his free hand.

"Now let these poor people go. The show is done."

Bewildered whispers broke out among the crowd, amazed at the Agni Kais backing away from Councilman Wu as he moved towards them and inclined his head. "They have agreed to let you all go. The police are waiting across the street." Slowly but surely a few of the braver ones looked around them, some of their eyes landing on the strange boy with the sword before getting to their feet, hesitating at the sight of Kazon before moving towards the buckled loading doors at the front of the warehouse.

The building rumbled all around him and the roof shook terribly, dislodging the walkway from its remaining struts with a horrendous squeal and sending him tumbling down to the floor of the ruined warehouse.

Three pairs of golden eyes tracked him as he fell, landing with a grunt on the concrete floor. Vision swimming and shoulder burning he managed to get to his feet, pulling out his sword and holding it at Oranis's throat to make her stop while he wreathed his other hand in fire and aimed it behind him at the faceless Agni Kais enclosing around him. "Where's Telei!"

"If it isn't Anzo's whelp." Kazon growled. Tai stared at the wizened old man next to the Agni Kai leader, staring back with stern eyes.

"Him? He hasn't been seen in the city for weeks." Wu turned towards the boy, calmly walking towards him. "From the instant Tenzin first spoke about you, you reminded me of Anzo. The same bullheaded approach. The same wild appearance. Even the same preference for airbenders. He was as opposite from his own brother as he could get. Tenzin will miss you."

All of Tai's fury now directed at the old man.

Wu nodded at Kazon and held up his hand. The Agni Kais moved in on Tai from all directions, redoubling his efforts to ward them off with his bending. The councilman made a crisp turn and headed towards the loading bay of the warehouse.

"I still have to get you back for that stunt you pulled with those little brats!" Oranis stalked forwards, her eyes still on the blade held at her throat despite the haughty edge to her words.

He constantly looked in all directions, searching for a way out as flames sparked to life on all sides and the Agni Kais began to close in on him as one, Kazon among them.

Teeth gritted, his eyes still searched, until he noticed the sheening surface of a piece of broken wood fully bathed in the outside light. He narrowed his eyes at the advancing gang members, waiting until the last moment.

* * *

At the sight of the growing inferno gripping the guts of the ruined warehouse ahead, she pulled back on Naga's reins and brought her to a halt in the middle of the road, overtaken by the same flames that burnt down the original building during her first meeting with Tai.

A hand shook her shoulder. "Korra!"

Roused she shook her head and nodded at Boto, kicking her heels in Naga's sides. "Get going, girl!"

Naga barked and bounded forwards, slowing as groups of metalbenders ran across the street in front of her towards the blazing ruins, while above the airships blared their sirens and spat out cables for officers to rappel down. Korra weaved Naga in and around the screaming people running from the blaze, keeping a close reign on her while she watched the ruins fully catch fire.

Whizzing sounds caught her ears and she looked up, watching as wires trailed from the tops of the buildings nearby to various points around the burning wreck on the opposite side, winching officers behind them towards the blaze.

Korra quickly brought Naga to a halt and hopped off, grabbing her reins and leading her behind the metal wall the police had setup for shelter. She exchanged a glance with Boto as he stood next to her.

The two of them ran towards the blazing building, following the scattered metalbenders as they shouted and raced around the perimeter of the warehouse, keeping back as much as possible in the face of the tremendous heat.

"We let this get out of control and the entire district will go up!" Korra nodded at Boto's words, mind racing as she thought of any possible ways of gathering enough water to put out the blaze before it spread.

Her eyes fell on the waters of the bay lapping behind the warehouse. "I'll slow it down." she looked over at Boto. He nodded to her.

"Be careful."

"Always am, Korra." Boto flashed a smirk at her and ran towards the blaze, slipping past surprised officers and metalbenders as he pointed at a nearby fire hydrant in front of the burning building. The red capsule rumbled and shook before a torrent of water blasted its cap off and spouted into the air. Boto swept his hands and guided the water into a thick stream before him and the fire, splitting it into smaller streams and throwing them at various points of the blaze.

Korra nodded and took a deep breath, trying to reach within for the golden pool of chi. She sought for Aang's guidance, but once again found a hollow void where his voice usually came from.

_Just let it flow._

Instead of his calm tones, or Kyoshi's commanding voice and Roku's wizened words, she instead heard another. Kuruk.

Her eyes flashed golden and she lifted into the air, thoughts blazing and whipping as she hovered over the burning blaze, now belching great clouds of smoke into the sky, smothering the airships as their sirens blared and they retracted their wires.

A single thought and she pointed a hand at the dark mass, a massive stream of wind pouring forth and blowing it away from the airships, jostling them around a bit as the smoke carried past them and settled over the waters of the bay.

She maneuvered so that she now floated directly over the great towers of flame finishing the job started a year before, raising both hands and staring down at the waters of the bay. She flicked her wrists up and the water lifted in tandem, spiralling upwards as a surging spout, spinning rapidly and coating her with spray as she directed her down into the heart of the flames.

The tortured metal and buckled wood groaned and hissed as the torrent crashed into the blaze, sending up curls of smoke as it the flames began to sputter and die, smothered by the tonnage of the water.

Below, Boto worked to stop the torrent from swamping outwards and sweeping away the police officers around him.

Slowly she floated downwards, golden eyes peering into the smoke filled depths of the warehouse's main building, the roof now fully collapsed. She raised her hand to draw out the smoke, sending it elsewhere and clearing up the massive hall it once occupied.

Grey eyes met hers, and the golden light faded from her eyes as she blinked once.

* * *

_City Hall_.

"A daring strategy!"

"The city feared that more lives could have been lost!"

"We all thank you for this heroic act, Councilman Wu!"

Over the shouting and the cameras flashing, Korra and Boto stood alongside Lin and her officers, with Mako on the opposite end. She saw the tight expression Lin wore, knowing that it annoyed her to see the crowds so single-minded in heaping their praises on him and not the rest of the men and woman who handled the crisis.

"I knew trying to keep you out of this wouldn't work." Lin leaned across to whisper in her ear, elbowing her in the side. "Nice job with the fire."

Korra nodded blankly, not really paying attention to Lin as her head cleared as she frowned to herself.

As she said this Hei leaned towards Nisha. "You think Saikhan would know better." he whispered, getting a roll of the eyes from the young lieutenant as they all stood before the crowd of reporters sitting on the long benches of City Hall.

In front of them Wu chuckled to himself as he waited for the crowds to quieten down. "There is no need for all of this. It is in my interest to protect Republic City and her citizens, no matter the method. Although I would prefer to help in a more administrative fashion next time."

The crowd lapped up his words. He held up his hands, then directed them to Lin and her officers. "I only played a small part. Were it not for Commander Beifong and her officers, I think negotiations would not have gone so smoothly. And of course we all thank the Avatar for putting out the fire they lit to mask their escape."

Korra found herself quickly tiring of the endless tumble of words, and was surprised to see Mako standing next to her. "You did good." he mumbled, before quickly moving back to his place at the opposite end of the line.

She arched a eyebrow, pleasantly surprised but a little suspicious.

"We can't rest safely just yet. Kazon and his accursed firebenders are still out there in the city, and Commander Beifong has personally assured me that she will not rest until her taskforce finds and captures them, beginning tomorrow."

Lin returned the nod Wu gave, steadying her shoulders and silently waiting for this to end so she could go home and catch some sleep.

"With my return to the Fire Nation coming soon, I can assure you that Fire Lord Rin will-"

The shattering of glass silenced Wu. He looked upwards and the crowd followed his gaze.

Their attention landed on the dome above, and the crowd gasped as a billowing mass of flame sheared through the side of the dome, buckling the iron framework as shards of deep blue glass sprinkled over their heads.

Korra's eyes widened at the sight of a sliver of furiously blazing fire contained in the shape of a sword, extended downwards and dropping like Sozin's comet towards the stunned councilman Wu. Behind it grey eyes flashed as they focused squarely on the wizened old man.

She took a step forward then froze as the air in the hall whipped into a frenzy, enough to shift the benches laden with the weight of the crowd a little, spooking them into a panic as they surged towards the double doors at the front of the hall.

Mako exchanged a glance with her as Lin and her officers fire their cables at the descending boy, only for them to knocked back by a slice of wind. Korra hopped backwards to avoid it, watching as it sliced several inches deep into the polished marble.

The firelight reflected in the grey eyes as the boy loosed a yell, his blade about to pierce Wu with each passing second.

Torn and confused she stood frozen at the sight of him wreathed in flames, questions burning through her mind and rooting her to the spot. He was her friend why was he-

The petrified look on Wu made her act.

She gritted her teeth and dashed forwards, throwing her arms out and shielding Wu with her body. Breathing heavily she stared up at the grief-filled grey eyes, her eyes practically pleading as they tracked the tip of the blade coming closer and closer to her chest.

Mako and Boto went to tug her out of the way when at the last second, the blade wrenched aside and boy crashed into her with his shoulder, a growl on his features. The three of them tumbled backwards from the impact, tangled up as the boy recovered and walked towards the three of them.

"Out of my way!" his words seethed with rage as he punched forwards with his fist, driving a stream of air into Mako and Boto and sending them crashing into the wall.

His eyes didn't even focus on her, but on the cowering old man behind her, his back pressed against the wall and gnarled hands frantically patting it as if it could help him live.

Breathing heavily she pushed up with her hands, moving backwards to try and trip him up as wires wrapped around him and wrenched him off the steps and onto the main floor of the hall, where Lin and her officers converged on him from all sides, expressing shock or wearing stony masks.

Her eyes widened as the smoke cleared and she saw his grey eyes glaring straight at her as he struggled to break free of the many cables completely wrapped around his body. Hei and Nisha exchanged nervous glances as they dug their feet in along with the other metalbenders, keeping the wires taut.

Tai raged and raged, wisps of flame striking at the air around him as he loosed a blood-chilling scream.

* * *

火


	8. The Burning Past, the Dark Hope

**A/N**

**All righty. This time, I think I've nailed the chapter. I added in a little scene explaining where Asami is, how she gets to where Mako and Bolin are. And rewrote Tai's scene at the end. Tell me what you think.  
**

火

* * *

_Future Industries._

Asami stepped over a blackened piece of timber, hugging herself as she beheld the collapsed section of her factory, recognising the twisted profile of one of the cooling towers that sat on the corners of the roof, the thick metal girders used in its construction poking out from many sections of the pile of rubble, wood and concrete that used to be the main face of the factory.

She grimaced, knowing that if she cared to look she could easily spot the curved contours of the biplane prototype, buried somewhere under there along with the rest of her workshop.

The board had told her how long it would take to fix all of the damage, all of the money it would take to contract bending crews in to fix the damage, not to mention the extra they would need to convince them to even work with her company.

Loosing a sigh she stepped forward, coming to a stop in front of the massive pile, trying to focus on the positive side of all of the workers being on lunch break at the time. She didn't know if she could handle seeing someone burnt like that again.

Asami found herself peering at a t-shape girder, twisted and bent like the rest, but miraculously left standing amidst the rest of the ruin. She grimaced as she stared at the scorched iron, thinking she could pick out strange imperfections in the metal.

Narrowing her eyes she came closer, seeing a glint of green inside the shadowed recesses of the iron framing. She slipped on a piece of mortar scrambling up the wreckage to get a closer look. Right up against the girder she could see the glint came from a collection of green glass shards, encased by a thick and bulky brass ring. Her eyes widened when she saw it.

Equalist goggles.

* * *

_Air Temple Island_.

Jinora glanced at Ikki and Meelo as they tumbled across the floor, throwing blasts of wind and annoying her each time the pages in her book flipped around and she lost her section.

The oldest of Tenzin's children braced the back of the book even more against her drawn-up knees, practically hunching over it with a unimpressed look and trying to ignore her younger sister and brother's antics. She blew a dislodged piece of hair back into place, smoothing it down and throwing a glance at the chuckling woman sitting next to her, reading her own book. "Was Tai like that when he was younger?"

"All the time. Made it a little difficult to catch him when Anzo and I tried to read a story to him. Had to enlist his older brother quite a few times." a small smile appeared on her, tempered by a glance at the floor and replaced by a frown. Talisa brightened and looked back at the girl.

Jinora nodded, then tilted her head at the weathered leather book Talisa had in her hands. "You read that a lot?"

Talisa flashed a hasty smile at her curiosity. "One of my favorites. Guru Pathik's telling of Oma and Shu... it's actually one of Tai's favorites as well." Again she had a smile on, only to lose it and hide a sigh from the young girl.

"I didn't think someone like Tai liked reading-" Jinora stopped and glanced at the doorway to the room, hearing her mother's footsteps before she appeared.

Pema came into the room, her eyes darting up and all over the place when she caught Talisa's eye.

Jinora frowned at her behavior as Pema smiled at her, stopping and holding Ikki and Meelo back from attacking each other. She looked up at her. "Uh, honey. Could you take the terrors outside to play for a couple of minutes? I need to talk a few things over with Talisa."

The little girl saw the frown on Talisa as she stood up with a tired sigh. "Okay, mom." Jinora nodded to Talisa, before moving to Ikki and Meelo and dragging them out of the room by the scruff of their mantles. She hid the grimace dragged them with her out of the room.

With them gone Pema nodded to herself as she stepped in front of Talisa, stumbling over one of Meelo's discarded toys in the process. "Aren't you going to do something about what happened?"

Talisa's eyes flicked up from the pages on the old book. She shook her head and snapped it shut, laying it next to her. "He's made it clear that I'm not needed."

"Wha-" Pema's mouth hanged open for a second. She closed it with a annoyed grunt. "I've known you for a long time. You wouldn't let a few words stop you from doing what's right. Shouldn't you be protecting him? Now? More than ever?"

Pema waited for a answer, but got silence instead.

"He's been like that for the past couple of weeks, and you haven't done a thing to help him? Instead you shut yourself away on the island, hiding from your own son... Tali - when we were kids, you were the bravest and strongest person I had ever met, you helped me through so much, you gave me the opportunity to change my life! And now... you're acting like this!" Pema threw her hands up and turned her back on Talisa.

Talisa grimaced and reached a hand forward, only to think better of it and snatch it back as the young mother gave a stiff nod, her eyes hard. "He needs you. Think about that." Pema stalked back into the hallway, leaving her alone in the wooden room.

She hung her head, staring at the wooden floorboards.

* * *

_City Hall._

Straightening his mantle Tenzin slid down Oogi's side, throwing a glance at the bison as a sphere of spinning wind lifted him up. He balanced on it with perfect posture, eyes narrowed as it raced him up the steps, leaving a series of cracks and fractures in the stones where it touched.

Tenzin stepped off it after coming to the doors and stormed into the main hall, throwing a glare at the approaching Council Page. The man whimpered and froze, backing away as fast as he could.

He stalked forwards, a furious glint in his eyes as he marched up the steps and stopped in front of the council table, silent as he surveyed Kya and Bumi's grim faces on one side, Lin's stony face as she stood near the steps, flanked by Nisha and Hei, eyes softening a little when he saw Korra by the wall with her head bowed and eyes down.

Wu sat at the crown of the table, his hands laced together as he looked through them at Tenzin with a sombre expression. Across from him Pok stood on the side opposite from Kya, Bumi and Lin. "Tenzin. You've been informed?" Wu said, his voice echoing in the hall.

Tenzin pointed a finger at Wu, the air in the room speeding up a couple of knots. "What's the meaning of this? Throwing my student in jail? Explain!"

"Tenzin,you are not composed, you should calm down and think first." At the slimy tone he swapped his glare to the obese Northern Tribe councilman as he shook his head. "Your student attacked Wu shortly after he had dealt with the Agni Kai triad. For unknown reasons. The Avatar herself was threatened by his disturbing actions as well. And Commander Beifong was forced to step in and contain him."

"He would never do such a thing-"

"Tenzin."

He stopped and turned to Lin, who gave him a simple nod. "It's true. My officers and I saw it. Korra saw it. A entire crowd of reporters..." she shook her head with a annoyed grunt. "...They saw it."

Tenzin opened and closed his mouth, caught between refusal and the fact that Lin had never lied to him. He turned away from her, looking to Korra instead, her head still hung and eyes still down. "Korra?"

A single, albeit hesitant, nod from her stopped him cold.

On the table, Kya and Bumi exchanged looks with each other will Wu sadly shook his head, and Pok just stood there, heaving a sigh. "This... and the prior accusations that he was responsible for Councilman Shizu's disappearance and your own grievous injuries sustained during the Agni Kai attack... your student has much to answer for, Tenzin."

"I'm all the evidence you need to clear his name. He had no part in what happened." Tenzin spoke quickly for fear of losing his temper with them, particularly at how quiet Kya and Bumi had become. He cleared his throat in the silence of the huge hall, trying hard not to let his emotions get the better of him as he looked away from them and at Lin. "Very well. Is he at the station?"

Lin answered him. "In a purpose-made cell..." She shifted uncomfortably, crossing her arms and looking at the floor. "...for airbenders."

"Tenzin... you-"

"It would be the height of stupidity to allow such a important public official as yourself to see the guilty party after such a brazen attempt on a councilman's life. And you must remain impartial."

"I can't make exceptions. Even for you." Lin looked up and gave him a nod, hesitating to meet his eye.

Tenzin clenched his jaw and returned it as he turned back to the council table, all to familiar from where things progressed from here. "What is to be done with him?"

"You know the charge, Tenzin. And on a city official, no less."

He shot a glare at Pok. "He is under my care! I won't let this happen!"

"It's the law, _councilman_. It makes no distinction for anyone.

At the sound of this, he heard a quiet gasp from Korra as she looked up quickly, her eyes wide for a moment before she hid her face again. Tenzin looked to Kya and Bumi, then straightened his cloak. "I call a resolution to determine his fate."

Pok raised a eyebrow and scowled. Bumi looked at the determined look in Tenzin's eyes. "Tenzin, doing this goes against what dad formed the council to do- you told me that yourself, think about this."

"Under the circumstances, we can't make a exception for him, Tenzin." Kya bowed her head, mouthing a apology to him and Korra even though the girl was unresponsive.

"A councilman determining the verdict of a criminal trial before it began and without a review of incident is unprecedented, Tenzin. And by the laws of the United Republic Charter, unconstitutional, I believe?" Pok's slimy words rang alone in the hall as he looked down at Tenzin.

Breathing heavily Tenzin stared at all of them in turn, at the look of shame on Wu, Pok's uninterest, and Kya and Bumi's muttered curses. The air in the hall whipped a little faster, as he finally came to a loss for words.

During all of this Korra remained silent, unable to stop seeing the burning flames or the feral expression leaping at her.

"...I am willing to forgive your student, Tenzin." Wu's words echoed in the chamber to everyone's surprise. The old man nodded to him, then at Kya and Bumi, and finally at Pok. Lin wiped the look of shock from her, while Nisha and Hei did the same.

Korra was the first to say something. "You are?" she said, a tone of hope slipping out.

"There are multiple methods of... persuasion in this world. Herbs. Poisons. Certain tricks of the mind. Those can be accomplished without bending. But are only temporary. Bloodbenders are well known for their manipulative abilities. But there are also... certain techniques unique to the Air Nomads in particular."

"What?" Tenzin's blood ran cold, remembering what his father told him about some of the Air Nomads, how they weren't as... gentle... as the majority who made the temples their home. For a moment his thoughts went elsewhere, back to the Southern Air Temple when they met Ling Yao, remembering that he seemed to be looking for something.

"I believe the boy's mind was under the influence of another. And as such, not responsible for his subsequent actions."

Incredulously, Tenzin felt a small flutter of hope. The airbender couldn't help a ghost of a smile as he looked over at Korra, only to see that she still had her chin down and face hidden.

"I will hold a public hearing to clear his name in front of the entire city, Tenzin. On my honor as the Fire Nation's representative, I swear it."

* * *

_Dragon Flats District._

The squeal of the engine echoed across the fronts of the apartments and shops on either side of him, mixing with the general murmur of casual traffic and up above, the low rumble of police airships as they scoured the skies above the district.

Mako knew it was the same deal for a majority of the boroughs. Stretched as they are, practically the entire force was on duty, patrolling the city, raiding Triad haunts, gathering information on where Kazon and his Agni Kais had escaped to.

Loosing a sigh, his eyes narrowed behind the faceplate of the helmet. Skoochy better have been telling the truth about them coming through here.

He passed two fully geared metalbenders questioning a couple tending a meat truck on the curb. The smoky aroma settled in his nostrils for a few seconds, leaving the thought of taking a breather from the search and grabbing a few things to eat. Sea prunes. Sunfish. Some of Narook's noodles. Whatever. He'd even eat a lion-moose if one ambled by.

His stomach growled and he shook his head, focusing on the road as he weaved in between satomobiles and rickshaws, slowing down as the lights flicked red up ahead, annoying him enough that his fingers flicked a switch on the end of the handlebars. The siren on the back of the motorcycle came to life, flashing orange lights and blaring a shrill cry as he accelerated through the empty intersection and onto the next road.

Slowing to a measured speed he watched the crowds on either side, noticing the lack of golden eyes or red-hued clothing among them. Up ahead, he spotted Boto waving him down from the street corner.

The wheels squeaked as he swerved and brought the motorcycle up against the curb, rolling to a stop in front of him. The engine groaned and stilled, and he took off his helmet, balancing it in his hands. "Any luck?"

"No." Boto jerked a thumb behind him at the path running between the backs of two building blocks.

Mako furrowed his eyebrows as he put the helmet down, folding his arms as he looked at Boto. "Damn it. We're rounding up every Agni Kai we can get our hands on, but not Kazon. We should be focusing our attention on him."

Boto nodded and turned to walk into the alley, scattering a few of the braver shark-rats that had clawed up from the sewers to the safety of the dumpsters. The waterbender threw a glance over his shoulder and sighed. "Skoochy can't help that. He saw what he saw. Problem is, they're long gone."

"So back to square one. Just like the rest of the force." Mako muttered to himself. "Where's Beifong?"

"In a council session with Korra and Tenzin." Boto answered, seeing the strained look on Mako that appeared whenever Korra was mentioned.

The firebender gave a stiff nod. "Let's check in." He turned to leave the alley, coming out onto the footpath and moving to the back of his cycle, reaching towards a clunky radio ensemble bolted to the side.

As he bent down to fiddle with the channels, speaker in hand, Boto paced back and forwards, thoughts elsewhere.

Mako glanced at him before turning his attention to the handheld as it crackled briefly, before a voice came on the line. "Yes?"

"Officer Mako. I need a line to Commander Makei."

"One moment please."

"I'll hold." Mako loosed a sharp breath, leaning against the motorcycle's sturdy frame and looking across the street, watching the crowd go by with a scowl on his features. He wondered how complacent they could be, just walking around like there was nothing wrong and the streets were safe, just like there wasn't a very recent hostage crisis. He shook his head and looked away, seeing that Boto had his arms folded with a thoughtful expression on as he stared into the depths of the alley they left.

"Something up?"

"Just... wondering if that was really Tai back at City Hall."

Mako arched his eyebrow and shook his head. "Who else runs around with a sword strapped to his back and the thickest head in the entire city?" The firebender snorted. "You were there. There's no question about it." Seeing the look of disquiet still there on Boto, he narrowed his eyes. "As far as I'm concerned he can stay in that cell forever. He's done enough damage."

He shook his head at the glum look on the silent waterbender, shifting to bring the handheld up to his ear as Commander Makei's voice crackled to life. "What's the skinny? You two are the last to report in."

"We haven't found anything sir. The tip Skoochy gave us was a dud."

"Never thought I'd see the day that a troop of firebending fanatics could vanish like that. The other squad's have had no luck, too."

"So what do we do?"

"Stick to your patrol routes and head back to the station. A squad will relieve you while we set up new search areas for tomorrow. Makei out."

The radio clicked off. Mako loosed a frustrated grunt, placing it back on the hook with a dark look. "He can't be serious. If we sit around they'll be sure to give us the slip!"

Boto came over and clapped him on the shoulder. "It's better to conserve our energy and put a hold on the search. There's not much point continuing if we've got nothing to go on. We'll grab something to eat. The food will help us think over it."

Mako sighed over a series of rumbles from his stomach. But nodded.

* * *

_Avatar Road._

Sensha fidgeted a little, hopping from foot to foot as she stood on the curbside. She wasn't sure why she was so nervous, they'd been friends for a while now, and they were teammates, plus they had fought together before, why was something as simple as waiting for him getting her so worked up?

Sure this was probably the first time in a while she was free of her bodyguard duties with the prince and princess, and the first time nothing dangerous or life-threatening was about to happen to them.

She sighed and hung her head, knowing that she was working herself up by thinking about why she was so worked up.

"You okay?"

She squeaked and whirled around, only to quickly clear her throat. Bolin stood there, a eyebrow raised as he chewed on one of the beef-sticks he just bought from the storefront behind him.

"Oh, um. Yeah. I'm fine." Sensha scratched the back of her head, silently screaming that she couldn't wipe off the idiotic grin she currently had on. Still trying to wipe the grin away she swept her arms up, gesturing down the street. "Let's."

Bolin grinned, gulping down the last of the beef-stick while she led the way, hiding her burning ears as best she could. "So is Eska awake yet?"

"Yeah. She's-" Sensha shook her head and flashed a happy grin for him, glad for the opportunity that he hadn't decided to rib her about the scare. "-she kinda asked me to check up on you. So, I thought I might as use the time to actually do some hanging out with you. Haven't been doing much of that."

"Well, Asami's up at her factory surveying the damage. So I didn't really want to be by myself in that big mansion." He flashed her a grin and started walking.

Sensha folded her arms and followed, resisting the urge to slap herself for being jumpy. She expelled a breath while keeping sight of him among the other people on the sidewalk, passing a few patrol officers as well. She caught up to Bolin. "Have you seen you brother yet?"

"Huh? Actually, I was thinking of heading down to the station to see him later today. Although he's probably tied up chasing the Agni Kais. Hope he's okay."

Sensha glanced at him after he had stopped on the corner of the street at the next intersection, seeing a unusually subdued look on him. Almost grim. "Yeah." She thought, catching a glimpse of someone staring at her from across the street. She ignored the sight and focused on him.

She shook the sight away and sighed. She had to say, she had hoped she had seen the last of them during the search for Korra and the shutdown of Tarrlok's taskforce. Unfortunately, they just had to rear their purist-non-firebender-hating heads again. Oranis especially. The burns left over from the arena only furthered her desire to never tangle with them again.

"I need to duck in here for a sec. You mind waiting?"

Her eyes narrowed on reflex before she nodded. "Go right ahead. I'm not going anywhere." She kept the smile on as she watched him immediately turn on the spot and disappear through the glass doors of another storefront.

She took to surveying the crowd passing by to prevent from getting bored. As the steady stream of humanity moved back and forth she noticed a man with a coal grey, standing heads and shoulders above the rest of the crowd, the back of his head to her.

Sensha looked away, just as she heard footsteps behind her.

"So... I never got to properly thank you for saving my butt during the finals match."

Turning around, she blinked twice at the sight of Pabu sticking his head out from a bundle of warm red flowers, some of the petals mashed together a little. Immediately, she reddened as her eyes flicked up to the sheepish smile on Bolin. "You really don't have to- uh. Wow."

"I do. I really do."

"Wow. Never gotten flowers before." Sensha lowered her nose to sniff them, only for a series of itching sensations to erupt in her nostrils. "Wait, these are-" Her eyes boggled as she quickly moved the flowers out of the way. Twin streams of flame sputtered from her nostrils, singing the air they once occupied.

Sensha waited a few seconds, breathing through her mouth as she wiped her nose and glanced sheepishly at him. "Egh. Sorry."

"Hey. Uh. Can I show you something?" Sensha stopped her thoughts and moved forwards.

"Sure." she stared at the flowers in her hands as she followed him down a alley, curious at the healthy green plants and vividly colored flowers growing in neat boxes on either side of the path. He had stopped up ahead where the alley widened into a small square space, kept surprisingly clean.

When she moved closer she saw the reason why. A small box, painted in bright crimson colors all over sat there, a lit candle encased in a glass box set at the top, enclosed by a small pagoda-like construction giving it the appearance of a mini Fire Nation temple. "A shrine?"

"Yeah. I just like to visit them when I can. Like I used to when I was a kid. Not for prayers or anything. Just for warmth when it was a cold night and Mako was too tired to make a fire." As he said this Pabu popped out of his collar, sniffing the glass window the candle burned behind and chittering.

Sensha wasn't sure what to do, except slowly move forwards. To at least try and think of what it would have been like to be out on the streets day and night, always looking for food and water, having to watch other people sit in their warm apartments and houses while searching for one of your own. She failed miserably, knowing how lucky she and her sisters were to still have a mother and grandmother to watch over them.

"When they were still around my parents dragged him and me to these whenever they got the chance. Mako told me Mom took him to practice firebending using these shrines." Sensha saw touches of a wistful smile on the earthbender as he patted Pabu.

"I'm lucky to have him. To tell the truth, I was worried the entire the time he was out with the police going up against the Agni Kais." Bolin loosed a sigh as he squatted in front of the shrine, keeping a hand on the glass as he looked up at her. "Uh. Sorry about making this uncomfortable for you."

"It's fine." Finally having a idea of what to do she knelt next to him and placed her hand on his shoulder, laying the flowers in front of her. "I'm sorry for your loss. Your parents sound great."

A strange thought flicked across her mind and she looked down at the flowers, then at him. She took a deep breath, wondering if now was really a good time. Before she went any further the fierce little flame inside the shrine suddenly winked out. She stared at the stricken look on Bolin, and pulled her glove tight before working up a spark and-

"Hope we're not interrupting, Fire-Ferrets."

Pabu screeched a shrill warning. Bolin glanced at him, going to stand only to hear a series of flames being lit around them. Sensha slowly got to her feet, swinging to stare at the two of them.

Dressed in a simple black coat and pants, Oranis's golden eyes twinkled as she directed a haughty smile at them. The man next to her, his face under a coal-colored beret tucked low, was silent.

"Oranis!" Flashes of the manic girl's grin on the pro-bending arena playing platform put a fire in Sensha as she took a step forward, shielding Bolin with her arm.

She chuckled in answer, holding up her hands. "I'll be quick about it, Sen. No worries."

Bolin flinched at the man's unflinching stare. He held his gaze however, his hands bunched into fists. "You're Kazon, aren't you?"

Kazon grimaced. "Yes." He nodded at the earthbender. "He told you about me."

* * *

Drafts of steam lifted up from underneath the edges of the steel pot lid simmering away just in front of him, drawing more rumbles from his stomach even though five skewers laid on the countertop of the stall, next to his elbow.

Mako watched as Boto devoured a handful of sea prunes with methodic precision, astounded by how many sea prunes the tall water triber had put away since stopping to grab a bite.

His thoughts turned back to the search. He loosed a grunt as he spun around on the stool, wiping a hand down his face as he tried to stop thinking about Kazon and Oranis still out on the loose in the city.

Shaking his head he plunged a hand into his pocket, grabbing a golden yuan and sliding it on the counter for the swarthy man to spot. Boto glanced at Mako as the man came over, grabbing the coin and holding it up in the air to inspect. After a few seconds he nodded to Mako, and turned back to tend to the row of open-air cookers behind him.

The firebender got up, waiting for Boto to join him before walking down the streetside, breathing a annoyed sigh. "I hate this."

Boto shrugged as they approached his motorcycle, leaning against a lamppost. "Not much we can do now."

"Great." Mako muttered, moving to grab his helmet, turning it over in his hands when a muffled whump and a series of rumbles shook the street. His patrol bike shook and clattered, the satomobiles moving back and forth on the roads beeped and blew their horns as the ones in front of them were stopped by their frightened drivers.

Slowly the rumbles subsided, leaving only beeping horns and worried words. Mako straightened, eyes scanning the street for whatever caused it. Boto had his hand to his side, hovering near his flask.

Another rumble shook the ground underneath their feet, at the same time as a massive plume of smoke curled upwards from a point beyond the street. Mako registered it coming from the center of the Dragon Flats district.

His eyes went to narrow when a panicked yell carried into the air. They widened as he looked at Boto. "That's Bolin!"

* * *

Breathing heavily, Bolin steadied himself on a brickwall as he ducked behind it, just in time to avoid a roiling stream of fire. It splashed against the sheer wall further down the alley, hissing and flickering as the loose paper and rubbish nearby caught aflame while marring the wall with black marks.

He peered out from behind it, watching Kazon and Oranis move through the darkness of the alley towards him. He caught movement, watching Sensha dart towards them from the side, sending a series of jabs into his ribs, moving around him as he stopped and swept mighty kicks of flame at her and using Oranis for cover, steering the girl in front of her while avoiding her lashing arms and legs.

Pabu wormed out of his collar and screeched up at him. Bolin quickly patted him. "It's okay buddy. We'll get out of this." Taking a look at Sensha as she dodged and weaved attacks from both firebending father and daughter he stole a look behind him at the sheer wall, knowing that the alley wasn't originally a dead end.

He jogged out of cover, dropping to his knees and slamming his palms onto the concrete and sliding them forwards in one rigid movement. A fissure grew from the tips of his fingers, cracking the concrete in several places as it jarringly worked its way onto the wall, spreading into a spiderweb of cracks and fractures just as he heard a triumphant yell behind him.

Bolin turned around in time to watch Sensha sail through the air towards him, clutching her shoulder and taking heavy breaths. He managed to get a hold on her before she hit the ground, keeping her upright with one hand while he slammed his other into the wall.

He looked up at the wall as it shook and shuddered, slamming his palm into it again and again until a opening crumbled in front of him, offering a way through. Keeping a tight hold on her hand he led them through, pushing her further ahead as he turned and raised his hands skyward before dropping them down.

Oranis and Kazon ran at the wall before it collapsed completely into a tall pile of broken concrete. Huge clouds of dust were thrown up by the impact, forcing him to shield his eyes as he turned and grabbed Sensha. "Come on."

She nodded as he looped his arm over shoulders and led them down the alley to a cobblestone road running through the middle of the apartment block, one of the patches of old construction left untouched by the city's builders.

"This place is a maze, we'll lose them in here." he said, panting under the effort of moving quickly while holding onto her at the same time, and throwing looks behind them in case a pair of firebenders were in hot pursuit.

Filing away the accidental pun for later, he kept his eyes on the old earthen buildings around them sitting squat and low, dwarfed by the soaring apartment buildings and storefronts built right on the streetside.

Coming to a intersection of cobbled roads after minutes spent going down road after road, he stopped to take a breather and to check on Sensha. "How are you doing?"

"Fine. I'll be sore tomorrow, though." He saw the strained expression on her as she fought to keep her eyes open, grunting every time she twisted the wrong way or moved a foot too quickly.

"I think there's a canal nearby, we'll move over there and-"

He saw a small golden spark in the corner of his eye. Everything slowed to a crawl, and his own breathing muffled in his ears as he tracked it flitting through the air towards the center of the intersection they stood before.

Bolin had to let go of her to throw his hands up, struggling to raise a shoddy wall from the road to shield them as the spark ignited into a billowing fireball, competely shattering the half-formed dome and throwing the two of them to the ground.

His ears rang as coughs wracked his throat. Sensha got up first, only to be spear-tackled by Oranis from behind, separating her from him. Kazon stood further up the road, dropping his hand to his side and drawing closer.

Sensha saw this, desperation fuelling her efforts to block Oranis's fiery punches and raking fingernails with her forearms as best she could, unable to wriggle away with the Agni Kai straddling her.

With a throaty grunt Sensha managed to lash both legs out, boots wreathed in flames as she caught Oranis in the chest, sending the girl crashing back and tumbling along the cobbled stones.

Summoning a pall of flame in her hand she moved forward, ready to buy Bolin some time when a hand grabbed her collar and pulled her back. She stumbled, tripping over a wall that wasn't there before. She held a hand to her forehead, vision swimming when Bolin came into view, a arm covering her as he peered over the earthen wall.

Oranis had a snarl on as she hobbled to Kazon's side, arms wrapped around her stomach. The man gave her a slight nod, holding his arm out for her to hold onto. "I will finish this."

A light of shock showed in her eyes as she looked up at her father, quiet for a few seconds before she shook her head with a mad glare in her eyes. Fire covered her arms as she shook of his grip and hobbled forwards, snarling as she picked up speed and charged at Bolin.

Bolin's eyes widened at the look in the firebender's golden eyes directed at him. He glanced down at Sensha, grimacing as he straightened to face her when he heard rushing water.

A shadow came over him as a smooth stream of water arced overhead, hitting the girl and sweeping her away with a startled cry. Kazon narrowed his eyes as he bent to grab Oranis.

"Bolin are you-" He looked around, almost ready to whoop for joy at the sight of Mako and Boto.

Mako kept going as Boto ran to him and Sensha, kicking a spiralling mass of flame straight towards Kazon and Oranis. "Kazon!" The Agni leader held up a hand to deflect it, shielding his injured daughter with a slight snarl as they backed away further up the street, leaving a considerable distance between the two parties.

* * *

"Noticed your entourage aren't around." Mako stopped in front of Bolin's waist-high wall, a fierce expression on as he opened and closed his hands, sparks lighting every time he did.

"There's no need to risk their lives for my personal business."

Boto blinked twice and glanced at Mako. "Something you wanna tell me?"

Mako's eyes narrowed as he readied his hands, feeling the heat from the sparks igniting. "Not really." His ears caught the whirring of police sirens off in the distance. "Sounds like you won't be free much longer."

In the corner of his eye, he caught Boto fixing a look at him. The waterbender stood up and came over to him.

"We need to pull back, get them out of here and wait for backup." he hissed in Mako's ear.

"I need to make sure he doesn't get away again. Take them to the streetside and wait for the medics." Mako kept his attention on Kazon as he said this.

Reluctantly the waterbender gave a nod, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'll kill you once you're back at the station." He shook his head and turned his attention to Bolin and Sensha, pulling her up and holding a hand down for him when Bolin shook his head, standing up and moving to Mako's side.

Mako's eyes flitted to his younger brother. "What are you doing?"

"I've got your back."

"Bo'-" he sighed at the focused look in his younger brother's eyes. "Fine. Least I can keep a eye on you."

Bolin kept his calm as he glanced over his shoulder, relieved that Boto was taking Sensha out of harm's way. He hid a gulp from Mako, holding his hands up as well and facing Kazon.

"For someone obsessed with honor, attacking my brother sounds like a strange move to take."

"Suffice to say, the business at the warehouse was meant to draw you out. But I had to take extra measures to ensure it." Kazon's hands tightened for a moment before they relaxed.

"Bro?" Bolin glanced at him. "Bro, what do we do?"

Mako ignored him. "I still need to pay you back for putting him in the hospital."

"And for that night?"

Mako whitened, gritting his teeth. "Yes." he said with a low growl.

"Why did you do it?"

He froze, glancing at Bolin. His younger brother didn't hide his trembling lip or shaking hands as he waited for the Agni Kai leader's answer.

To Mako's surprise, Kazon showed a brief flash of unease before resuming his guarded expression. "They brought it on themselves. She was unclean."

"Did they?" Mako gritted his teeth, remembering something Asami told him, after her father revealed himself as a Equalist. His fists tightened, and flames sprouted around them as he loosed a quiet growl.

Bolin shouted something but he wasn't listening now, staring right into Kazon. "Like when your goons broke into Asami's home when she was just a kid? Did her mother bring it on herself too?!"

Waiting for the bastard to answer him, it came as another surprise when the Agni Kai leader stayed silent, hanging his head.

His eyes widened. And the flames in his hands burned fiercely, licking at the air.

"What are you talking about, Mako?"

A new voice snapped Kazon out of his reverie, and drew Bolin and Mako's attention, coming from a shadowed side-street running between the old buildings.

Asami stood there.

* * *

Mako's eyes widened at the sight of her stricken eyes and frozen expression, like she had been struck by lightning. "Asami I-"

She took a listless step, only to stop herself and stumble back, staring at Kazon. Unwanted memories of a dark room, the floor riddled with shattered glass shining from caught moonlight as a fireplace crackle and flared. A plush armchair turned over, scorched and burnt along with the books in the room. A little girl wracked with sobs while her frozen father knelt nearby, unresponsive with his head bowed before a horribly burned woman.

Her eyes met Kazon's tightly controlled stare. "You took her away?" Her voice was small as she fixated on that fact, remembering the feral look in her father's eyes as he tried to kill her. A small hope in her wished that he would deny it, or even protest, but he did nothing but stare at her. "She was- she was my mother - what did she ever do to you?"

The Agni Kai leader was silent, Bolin was silent, Mako was silent, the two of them feeling more and more helpless by the second as she felt nauseous in her stomach. She sank to her knees, staring at the cobbled stone while her rational side tried to win out. "They helped people - making cars - jobs. They worked to make everything safe."

The kindly face that used to belong to her father, from a different time, came to her. As did the warm cat-like smile of her mother. Both now gone. Replaced by a twisted shadow. And a void. "You killed them." she muttered, voice going dull as she stared at her palm, slowly dragging it across the ground towards a pocket in her black jacket. "You killed my family."

Mako took a step forward, his hand reaching to her. "Asami, please, get out of here-" He froze at the look of anger being directed at him, her teeth gritted as she dragged out a object, the deep rich obsidian alloy standing out in her pale hands as she aimed the long barrel on it's front at Kazon.

Her eyes narrowed, knowing what the thing in her hands could do. A firearm, Iroh called it. Capable of launching metal projectiles at speeds incapable of achieving except for airbenders, fast enough to be undetectable to a metalbender, deadly enough to stop a bender in their tracks before they even tried anything. In all the hours she had spent in the dead of multiple nights shut up in her mother's study, she probed and examined her father's gift.

"Asami!" Bolin hissed, eyes on her and the strange thing, all thoughts about Kazon gone.

Mako froze when the barrel wavered in his and Bolin's direction, before she shut her eyes and reaimed it at the silent Agni Kai leader. Kazon's eyes stared resolutely into hers, paying no mind to the clunky brass and black contraption she held. "Every moment since that night has filled me with regret. Desperation and anger drove me to kill that poor woman. Killing me will end that regret. But it won't end your pain, girl. Only death can."

Asami's thoughts suddenly became clear as glass, the firearm's heavy barrel unwavering.

Mako growled and lit a flame in his hand, holding it at Kazon. "You bastard! If you think I'll-"

"You'll kill me? I welcome it." Kazon turned to him, lighting a flame in each hand, extending one at him and to Asami. "Non-benders like Hiroshi Sato and his mistress despised the Fire Nation! Condemning refugees for the sins of their fathers and grandfathers during the Hundred Year War!"

"Asami, get out of here!" Bolin warned, his attention torn between Kazon and Mako.

Between heaving breaths she felt her fingers automatically tightening on the trigger. "Do you know what this can do? I can take your life in a instant, just like you took _hers_."

Kazon lowered his eyes while still keeping them on her, gloved hands tightening as he loosed a quiet sigh. "It's... unfortunate that you are present." leveled a look at her as police sirens drew near and shouting voices lifted over the tops of the buildings around them. "I have to destroy you, girl."

He lunged at her, Asami's breaths quickened, Bolin shouted a warning, and Mako quickly moved, using a boost of flame to slide in front of Asami, catching a glance of her stony face as Kazon loomed over him, his hand plunging towards him and her, wreathed in fire.

Kazon's eyes widened, a frozen snarl on as his hand froze in mid-fall.

Mako glared up at him, teeth gritted and sweating from the fire only a short distance away. Behind him, Asami shivered, the barrel slipping as she stared at his back.

The Agni Kai's leader stumbled back under a assault of earthen chunks and concrete thrown at him by Bolin. Some of them struck him in the sides as he shot blasts of flame at them, retreating further up the street as sirens filled the air.

Bolin run towards them. "You guys nearly got killed!"

He looked up, Pabu chittering nervously as a troop of metalbenders rode their cables down from a airship hovering above, Makei and Nisha among them. He gestured and they understood, deploying cables to the tops of the buildings and whipping away.

Makei lingered for a second, a concerned eye on Asami and Mako.

Bolin came over and gave him a nod. "I'm going after him." Determined he nodded to Mako and Asami, moving towards Makei.

The veteran didn't budge. But saw the the look on Mako and nodded, turning to Bolin. "Keep up." Makei fired his cable and whipped towards the roofs of the buildings around them, while Bolin bent to place Pabu near Mako, before charging up the street in that direction.

As the whir of cables grew distant, Mako grimaced as he turned to the shaking girl, gently grabbing her wrists. "Hey. Give me that."

Her shoulders heaved as she stared at his golden eyes, forgetting who he was for a moment and tightening her grip, before relaxing. "I couldn't shoot. I wanted to, but I-" With a sharp intake of breath she hung her head, looking away from him. "I was at the factory- looking at the damage- trying to- I cut through here to get home quicker and-"

Mako squeezed her hands to get her to look at him. "It's okay. He's gone. Why don't you give me that?"

She looked up and shook her head, clutching the firearm like it was her lifeline, her breath shuddering as she sniffed and clamped a hand over her eyes, so she couldn't see his sickly yellow eyes. "Is it true?"

He looked away from the strange weapon for and straight at her, gently reaching his hand to shift her own from her face. Asami's eyes darted away as soon as he uncovered them. before the girl steadied herself with a strong breath and looked at him without waver. "Yes."

The single word hung there. She blinked and nodded, knowing that he had lied to her in the past, but not now.

Tears began to form as Asami closed her eyes. "He nearly killed you and Bolin too, Mako." She shook her head. "Why not? Why couldn't I do it?"

Devastation filled him as she began to cry, robbing him of any words. Instead, Mako wrapped her in his arms, tipping his forehead against hers. Despite the state she was in, despite his own worry about Bolin running off like that and despite the close call they just had, a tiny smile showed. "You're not Hiroshi, Asami."

"Yeah. Maybe." Beyond her shuddering breaths she heard a series of pounding thuds, and looked over Mako's shoulder. Naga bounded towards them, carrying Korra and Lin on her back.

The polar-bear dog skidded to a halt with a bark. Korra and Lin hopped off and ran over to them. "We came as soon as we could, what's-"

"Kazon attacked us." Mako answered, his eyes lingering on Asami for a second before he turned to address Lin.

Korra moved forwards, worried about them. She glanced at Mako, wondering if she should do something for him or if he would be fine - she shook her head and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you two okay?"

Mako was surprised at himself as he nodded. "Yeah." He said, his eyes not meeting hers.

"Asami?" Korra knelt in front of her friend, wondering about the strange looking object she held with a tight grip.

The girl steadied herself and stood up, drawing strength by looking at each of them in turn, holding the firearm by her side. "I've got to tell you all something."

* * *

_Police Headquarters._

The chains tinkled as he tugged on them, pulling his arms back until the links went taut, attached to thick blocks fixed to the metal walls of the room. As soon as he made a move he watched the two metalbenders at the door stiffen, their gloved hands tightening into fists.

His room was empty of any furniture and lit by a single light hanging from the ceiling above him, and polished black and grey all over except for the golden symbol of the police stamped on the wall behind him. Just to remind him where he was.

The wall panel in front of him slid open, letting light in from the hallway. A tall shadow stood in the light as he appeared, standing only for a moment before coming into the room and addressing the two guards. "Please. Wait outside."

They hesitated. "Sir, that's not-"

Tenzin shot the offending guard a look. "Now."

The two guards nodded and left out of the door, taking up posts just outside. Tenzin glanced at them before standing before the chained boy, looking down at him.

"Are you alright?"

His master's soft words echoed along the metal walls. Tai didn't bother lifting his head to look at him, instead watching as his shadow fidgeted and paced back and forth.

"I'm sorry that Korra couldn't see you, there was a emergency involving Asami and Mako."

Tai didn't respond, fixing the metal floor with a burning stare.

"They'll- tomorrow, there will be a hearing. Zuko will be there. Tai, look I just want to-"

"It was my reasons." Tai whispered, stopping Tenzin in his tracks. The boy looked up at him. "Don't you have a family to look after?"

His master didn't respond for a few seconds, before clearing his throat and giving a stiff nod. "I won't forget you. I promise."

With that he turned on a crisp foot and left into the hallway, the darkness of the room becoming total as the light went away.

He didn't say anything as the two guards came back in, taking up their original posts without a word.

Tai kept his gaze on the floor, trapped in a dark place. Lost in his thoughts, he soon found the dimness of the room getting to him, making his eyelids droop and body slacken. He would not succumb to sleep, fixed on remaining awake and working out his thoughts only for them to gradually slip away like leaving echoes, instilling a sense of drowsiness in him.

The boy tried to resist, to keep his eyes open, but slowly they began to close. And he allowed himself to nod off.

* * *

His eyes flew open and a gasp forced its way out. Tai drew in shuddering breaths, moaning from the abuse just leveled on his stomach.

"Wakey wakey."

Tai's vision cleared up and he could see a pair of haughty blue eyes looking at him, something approaching excitement on his thin face. He took in the ridiculously fine suit he wore, the white fur lining the shoulders, and the silver buttons on the front. He also remembered the grey boots he wore, remembering how much they hurt while he and Korra were imprisoned in the Red Monsoon base.

Kerisa's grin widened as he grabbed Tai's chin and kept his head lifted. "No nodding off. We've got some surprises for you."

His new surroundings were cold, and instead of being chained to the floor and the walls, he had been seated in a chair, hands and feet tied down in the center of a circle of light. He wasn't in the police station.

Water drips echoed off the worn brick walls forming the small space around him. He caught sight of a heavy looking door in the wall across from him, a clunky wheel affixed to its surface.

The door swung open with a eerie squeal from its rusted hinges, Kerisa scowled and looked behind him. "I was just getting started, old man." Tai focused on it as well, seeing a vague shape step through.

"Whatever the public opinion is of the Equalists, it can't be denied how efficiently they made use of all of these old substations and train tunnels underneath the city. This is the one closest to Police Headquarters. Convenient."

With a start he looked up, ignoring his stinging eyes as he spotted Wu's pale wizened face with gray hair done in a top knot, hands hidden behind his back. "Sad attempt for a assassination. I had reason to believe you have done this before." Behind him the shadow of someone wider and larger appeared on the floor as Pok filed in behind his fellow councilman, closing the door behind him.

Pok had his hands folded over his belly, a grim look on him. "It's a shame your friends had to see you out of control like that. What would they say?"

Tai's eyes narrowed.

Wu stepped closer. "I brought you here for a little heart-to-heart."

He was in no mood for games. The boy stared straight at him with a dark fire. "You talked about Anzo back at the Warehouse... what do you know!"

Wu looked up at him. "Hmm?"

"You said something about... about Anzo!"

The wizened old man moved back and forth, a hand stroking his chi. "Yes. I did. What surprises me is that you even look like him, despite clearly being impure."

"What?" Tai growled, straining at the manacles around his wrists and shaking the chair. Kerisa chuckled at the sight, and Pok gave him a reproachful look.

Wu nodded. "Impure. As I'm sure you're aware he married outside of the homeland. When I heard, I was disappointed, being his superior and all. But that's not the worst part." Wu stopped a moment, his eyes on the floor. "He even decided to live away from the Fire Nation. On a farm. Unbefitting of his stature."

"How how do you-"

"I think it was called Junoa? Kazon wanted to settle a score with Anzo. And I obliged him, also getting me one step closer to setting the Fire Nation straight. You know that he is my son."

Incredibly, Tai managed to lift the corner of his mouth in a smirk. "Looks like I can't be telling anyone about it."

Wu's eyes narrowed. "Yes. Like I said. I forgive you, boy. But only because you are no threat to me or my cohorts whatsoever."

He nodded to Pok and Kerisa as he left for the door, half way out of the circle of light he tossed a glance back. "And, remember, please behave during the hearing tomorrow. Your life will depend on it."

* * *

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	9. The Trial of Fire, the Rumbling Earth

**A/N**

So here is the next chapter. It's primarily aimed at building up to the huge stuff happening on the next tone. I apologize for the long time since the previous, as I actually went back and added a few tiny bits and pieces better explaining the huge surprise right at the end. I hope it suffices. I'm also going to be adding small pieces for Boto and Sensha's backstories as well through out the two previous story's. I haven't really doen them enough justice.

Another reason for the delay is that I partially rewrote the previous chapter. So in all seriousness, I would like to ask that you read that through again. At least for everything to make a little more sense.

As always, I enjoy the feedback you give me guys.

*ahem* DrKvrtx (I actually thought you had Dr instead of Drk. Doctor Vortex sounds way cooler in my opinion). Hades, if you're there. Batmanbane etc), please review, please criticize.

* * *

火

* * *

_Sato Mansion._

"It doesn't leave this room." Breathing a sigh and feeling like a weight had lifted from her shoulders, Asami turned from the windowsill, folding her arms across her chest at the three of them. "You probably think I'm a idiot for keeping something like this under wraps."

"Just a little. A man like Hiroshi Sato in charge of his own band of terrorists? There's no telling what he'll do." Asami bit her lip and nodded, hanging her head while Lin folded her arms. "No bender in the four nations is safe." The woman's eyes softened somewhat, her fingers drumming on her elbows. "But... I understand why you did. The question is what will you do about it?"

Asami shook her head, moving towards the side of her desk, leaning against it. "No idea." She looked up, saw Korra's burning gaze directed at her.

The Avatar stepped off the wall, coming towards the opposite of the desk with her hands held wide. "Asami, I'm your friend. You could have told me."

"That's why I didn't tell you." Asami didn't like the hurt expression on Korra. She shook her head and flashed a apology-filled smile. "You're the Avatar, Korra. If I told you, you would have had to do something about it. Everyone would have expected you to. You would have had to put aside being my friend to do what's right. It's..." she heaved a short breath and chuckled, closing her eyes. "I thought - that after all this time he wouldn't show up again. That he wouldn't be a problem any of us needed to worry about. But he did." Her eyes flicked to the framed photo on the corner of her desk, settling on her mother and father's smiling faces. "And he is."

"You've told us he is no longer in the city?"

Asami hesitated a little before nodding. "Yes... the depot underneath central terminal is completely empty. There had to have been at least two dozen mecha tanks down there, a entire crowd of people, and a handful of chi blockers. I'm scared how it all just vanished like that."

"And what about that?" Lin jerked her chin at the firearm resting on the table. On the corner right where she left it after coming back here. She didn't want to admit it, but knowing where it was gave her a measure of comfort, even with the knowledge of what she nearly did with it. "What if your father has made more of those?"

She chewed her lip as she stared at the polished obsidian ally, losing herself in the inky depths of the metal, once again confronted with the knowledge of being presented with something that could genuinely help non-benders, give them the ability to defend themselves against the evils of the world like a bender could.

Maybe someday.

Asami looked up at Lin. "Then we destroy them. In the hands of him and people like him, they will only be used to hurt people." She caught Mako's eye, shirking a little when Kazon came up in her thoughts. "We just need to find out where he is first."

"You've taken him down before, you can do it again." For a moment she felt shock at Mako's words, only for it to be buried with a weary acceptance. He nodded to her. "What's got me confused is that letter Shinobi gave you."

Her thoughts briefly taken off of the specter of her father, she nodded. "Yeah. Got me as well."

"Taking out his own business? Every single night there was a match, the Yuans pretty much flowed right into his pockets." Mako scowled, his hand tightening a little. "Not to mention the 'fair' cuts he took from each team's winnings. There's no way he would have agreed to the arena being torched."

Lin snorted and glanced at him. "If there's one thing a rat-shark like him knows, it's how to make a profit out of anything. The only thing that doesn't add up is that the Agni Kais wouldn't agree to the deal, either. As sick as it sounds, the triad has a code of honor."

"Burning the arena is a funny way to show it." Mako muttered, eyes on the floor.

"He always seemed pretty sketchy to me." Korra added.

"All of this talk won't do us any good. Once the hearing is over, I'll bring it up with Saikhan and Makei. Always had our eye on the slimy thug anyway."

She nodded, deep in thought as she thought about getting with Iroh and Verick and putting together a plan.

"Will you come to the hearing?"

The slight tone of worry in Korra's voice made her look up and smile. "Of course. He's our friend."

"Alright. After the hearing we'll talk." Lin nodded to her, then turned around, going for the doors before looking at Mako, seeing he hadn't moved. "You coming or staying?"

"I'll make my own way." Mako replied, his eyes still on Asami.

When Korra moved past him, she opened her mouth to say something, only to shake her head and think better of it. She followed Lin out of the room. The doors closed together with a groan, cutting through the silence in the room.

Asami noticed he had his eyes on the doors, a strained look on. "Are you still mad at Korra?"

He shook his head with a sigh and turned to her. Mako blew out a frustrated breath, his shoulders dropping. "...It's tough not to be." he finally muttered. "But there are more important things to spend my energy doing." The firebender came closer to the desk, his hand dropping between her hand and where the firearm sat, his eyes flicking up to hers. "Will you be okay?"

"Not until I've dealt with him once and for all. I can't keep thinking of him as my father anymore. That has to end."

"Can't argue with that."

"Alright... um, listen." She laced her hands together, still staring at the firearm while Mako turned around and stopped just away from the desk, looking at her. Chewing the inside of her cheek she steadied herself and picked it up, keeping the nose towards the ground as she came around the side of the desk, stopping in front of him. "I want you to keep this from me."

Not completely sure with what she was doing she grabbed his hand, guiding it around the handle. His fingers stiffened a little when they brushed against hers. Mako glanced at her. "What if Kazon or that crazy airbender show up?"

She shook her head. "Doesn't matter. Mako, when I had that thing in my hands, the same thought kept crossing my mind. I don't want to be like that. I don't want to turn in my father. Please, lock it away. It'll be safe with the police."

* * *

Korra folded her arms, staring at her feet while waiting at the top of the steps as Lin closed the double doors to the mansion behind her. Her thoughts were all over the place, and she struggled to figure out what to do next.

The sound of Lin tightening the waist straps on her trenchcoat to ward against the cold of the grey afternoon interrupted her thoughts. She glanced at the metalbender as she approached, letting her feet take her down the steps.

The woman was silent as the two of them reached the bottom, coming out at the top of the path that winded down the front of the hill the estate sat on, all the way to the road and gatehouse at the bottom. She fidgeted, getting more and more restless by the second-

"Out with it, Korra."

Lin's slightly irritated tone forced her hands to still. Korra glanced sidelong at her, breathing a worried sigh as her thoughts forced her to speak. "What will happen at the hearing?"

"Tenzin will have to excuse himself from the final ruling, if that's what you're asking."

"Oh."

"But luckily, Wu already wants to drop the charges, so he might only be confined to Air Temple Island under armed guard. Otherwise we're lucky if he was just exiled from the city limits." Lin exhaled and narrowed her eyes. "He's made a real mess of things."

Korra nodded. The two of them continued down the winding path in silence, thinking different things as they descended to the bottom of the hill, coming to the gatehouse and the start of the road that went up the side of the hill, connecting the mansion to the estate entrance.

Two of the grey-clothed guards manning the entrance hid sighs of relief as the two of them approached, glad that they wouldn't have to suffer under any more of Naga's licking assaults or attempts to steal their food.

The polar-bear dog held her head up at the sight of Korra, barking excitedly and straining against the leads tying her to the side of the gatehouse. Lin stopped a short distance from her while Korra walked over to the two guards, clasping her hands and bowing them. "Thanks for watching her, guys."

"N- no problem, Avatar. Lucky she doesn't bite." The young gate guard chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck only to get a slap on the head from his older partner.

"Don't mind the kid. She's all yours."

Korra nodded as the older guard untied Naga's leads and handed them to her, before dragging the young guard with him back into the depths of the gatehouse. She went back to Naga, rubbing her snout. After a few moments, she dropped her gaze to the ground, before finally glancing at Lin, a single question on her mind.

"Um, Lin, I have a favor to ask you."

"What?"

"Can you... keep a eye on him before the hearing starts?"

Lin shook her head at the skittish tone Korra had, wondering how a girl as tough as her could ever sound like that. "I'll personally escort him down to City Hall."

"Thank you." She breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a little better before looking at Naga and than back at Lin. "I can drop you off at the station, it's no-"

...No, I'm not riding on Naga to get there."

"But Lin-"

"No. I still have bruises." Lin folded her arms, leveling a unimpressed stare at the polar-bear dog's big black eyes. She remembered the stories her mother had of Appa.

Korra blinked twice and pouted as she picked up Naga's reins, watching as Lin held up her wrist and wiggled it, the metal rattling under her sleeve. "I've got my own transportation." With that her eyes flicked to the roof of one of the apartments across the road, a second later a cable shot out at a blistering speed with only a slight delay before its clawed head made purchase.

Lin nodded at her as the cable whisked her up and away. Korra watched her go for a few moments, before looking down and heaving a sigh.

Naga quietly crooned in response. Korra rubbed behind her ear and nodded. "Come on girl. Let's head back."

* * *

___Shōu K__ǒ__u General, _Dragon Flats District.

Pabu crept along, one step, two steps, a short hop, eyes on the bright green hopper bug minding its own business on the opposite end of the rail. He wiggled his tail, coiling his body in preparation to pounce on the bug while it continued to remain oblivious of his presence, still facing away from him.

The Fire-Ferret took a few sniffs of the air, before creeping forwards a little more to close the gap between him and the green bug, so he would get it in one go.

With a triumphant squeak Pabu lunged, his shadow descending over it as a sign of what awaited it, his paws outstretched and his head angled down with mouth wide open when the bug made rattling noises and hopped to face him, wings folding out from its thin thorax in a brilliant flash of hot pink and white swirls, clicking its claws at the same time and advancing without care for his superior size.

Pabu squeaked in fright and twisted to the side, landing on his side and rolling to his feet, backing away from the strange bug with his heckles raised and back arched, no longer wanting to have something like that in his mouth.

The bug waved its claws at him and clicked once, before hopping off the railing into the open air, disappearing with a flash of pink and green. Cautiously Pabu sniffed at the air for a few moments, scurrying to where it once stood before being plucked up by Bolin and placed on his shoulder. "Better luck next time, buddy."

Bolin shook his head and sighed, thinking that if he craned his neck and looked to the side, he could spot where his own hospital room was amidst the rows of boxy balconies and glass sliding doors stretching along the length of the hospital.

"Seems like I've been here more often than my grandma's house." He turned around, keeping a hand near the bag sitting on the rail to keep it from falling to the alleys below as he smiled at her. She pressed a hand against the doorframe to keep herself steady, returning his smile. "Sorry if you were waiting long. I sleep like a rock."

"That's okay. I'm cool. Cool with rocks."

She coughed as she laughed, keeping a hand on her side as she moved towards the railing to join him. "Aw, you're such a gem."

"Really. We having this kind of dust-up?"

"Okay." she grinned at him. "You win."

Bolin spun his hand and bowed "Naturally." The wind picked up as he leaned on the railing, looking at the buildings clustered around the hospital. He exhaled a drawn-out breath, puffing out his cheeks as the silence got to him. He turned to her. "That was kinda a close call with the Agni Kais, wasn't it?"

At his words she nodded, her cheer slipping a little, remembering the flames both Oranis and Kazon kept flinging at her, remembering how it could have been a lot worse if he wasn't there to block them. "Yeah. Close call." she murmured.

He nodded, clenching his jaw when he realized how stupid he was but just bringing it up so casually like that. "Sorry."

Sensha glanced at him, nudging him in the side with a small grin. "Don't be. It's fine." She leaned on the railing like he did, taking a moment to enjoy the cool breeze of the grey afternoon now that she was out of the hospital room. "It was hard seeing her again."

"Huh? Hey, I know it must have been rough, but don't worry about it, that scary girl can't get us here-"

She shook her head. "Not that. I know her, Bolin." Sensha closed her eyes, turning away from him for a moment. "Oranis used to be my friend."

"Wha-"

"She was different back then. Living on her own, a pro-bending fan, had a great sense of humor. Probably the nicest girl in the world."

"What happened?"

"I was heading home from Wan Shi Tong university, actually, only about a month or so before I met you. She just... shows up out of the blue, saying that she's going home with her grandfather now, that she was wrong for rejecting him all those years, that she wasn't thinking straight."

Bolin took what he knew of Sensha. nice, a little shy, also stubborn, a Fire-Ferret through and through like he was and then looked at what he knew of Oranis. Sadistic, snobby, really likes fire. He was trying, but it took a lot for him to believe she could ever be friends with someone like that.

"That's why I was in Tarrlok's taskforce. I knew that the Equalists were targeting the Triads, the Agni Kais among them. I thought that maybe I could see her again, try to get through to her. But she's changed so much." She took to running her hand down Pabu's back, trying to focus on the little Fire Ferret instead of anything else.

Pabu chittered as the two of them fell quiet again, the wind taking over for them.

"So... to lighten the mood, I brought these along."

She raised a eyebrow and looked at the earthbender boy, couldn't help a smirk breaking out as he whipped out a bundle of blackened and charred stalks, watching as one of them snapped in two and fell to the floor of the balcony. A single red petal somehow remained intact out of the rest that had burned up, putting a nice little touch on what was really a burnt bundle of sticks.

"Yeah... they kind of got burned up when Kazon attacked us. Whoops."

"What kind of flowers were they, before they got burned to a crisp? I never asked."

"Uh... Fire Nation Peace Lilies."

"Huh. They were great."

Her eyes flicked up to his, and she clasped her hands, deciding to dedicate her thoughts to something infinitely more pleasant than Agni Kais and crazy former friends.. "So... um, I was thinking, maybe we could-"

"Eska?"

Bolin turned around as well. Eska stood at the threshold of the balcony, she stepped towards the two of them, and inclined her head to Sensha. "I wanted to see how you were recovering. When I heard the news I- both me and brother were worried."

Sensha found herself nodding, trying something to get rid of the look of worry on Eska's usually stoic features. "I'm fine, princess... actually, I would have been toast if Bolin wasn't there with me."

"Hmm. He has a knack for being there when you need him." Eska had her eyes on Bolin.

He scratched the back of his neck, peering over her shoulder to find something else to look at, when he spotted a small girl and a old woman. When the little girl got close enough, her eyes lit up as she saw him. "Fire-Ferret!"

Before he could react the little girl was already tugging on his hand, babbling excitedly in a long spew of endless words as he tried his best to pick them out while Pabu enjoyed the attention she paid him. Sensha's grandmother smiled at him. "It's been a long time, young man."

"Oh, yeah. I was kinda really busy. Real sorry- ow!" The little girl's laugh interrupted him as she tugged on his hair.

Eska took the opportunity to bow to the old woman. "Your daughter is brave and capable. I'm lucky to have her as my protector while staying in the city."

Sensha found herself blushing a little, wishing she could elbow the Northern Princess without being reprimanded. She shrugged and did it anyway, smiling at the confused look on Eska. "Oh, stop."

Her grandmother simply smiled, looking between the two of them. "We'll be right outside, dear." She turned and got a grip on Bolin's shoulder.

The earthbender yelped in surprise at how strong the old lady's grip was as she dragged him indoors while Sari continued tugging and pulling on his hands. He glanced helplessly at Sensha and Eska, before Sensha's grandmother closed the door shut behind her.

Sensha turned to Eska. "I'm glad you're better."

The northern princess nodded, then noticed the bundle of blackened stems she still held onto. "Were those flowers?"

"Were." Sensha looked down at them, at the crumbly, dead, completely burnt stems, and smiled to herself. "He's a great guy, Eska." Her own thoughts of jealousy, plain old envy, or outright annoyance whenever the idea of Eska and Bolin crossed her mind were no longer there. She didn't even feel the desire to look for them, instead coming up with a single accepting thought that she had taken too long to come to.

"He really likes you." Sensha said, with a frankness that both relieved and worried her.

Eska hesitated for only a second at the look on the firebender, her protector, before nodding with a slight frown.

* * *

_Police Headquarters._

Lin tracked the curved tip of the thin arrow on the white dial sitting above the front doors of the elevator, watching as it jerkily ticked from ground level to the basement floors, the elevator shaft darkening a little at the same time, only to be brightened by sickly white lights installed on every side of the shaft.

She heard a quiet sigh from Boto, watching him lean against the opposite side of the elevator with his eyes squarely on the floor, arms folded and face grim. Lin couldn't help sharing his sentiments, having lost count of all the times she had escorted a criminal to city hall. She would have been fine with that, but it didn't help her sleep at night seeing how young a lot of them were, how stupidly they made their choices even though they were good kids.

History was just repeating itself again. And she didn't like the thought.

"You look like you're being eaten alive, detective."

"That's one way to put it, ma'am." He didn't hide his unease with the whole situation, looking her straight in the eye. "We're throwing him into a hornet's nest."

"He brought it upon himself." she responded with a brusque tone, knowing what a crap thing it was to say. Glancing at the waterbender she rolled her shoulders under the metal armor, the plates and segments clicking loudly in the silence of the elevator.

The elevator rumbled to a stop as it reached the bottom of the shaft. She tapped her foot as the doors grinded and squealed trying to open up, creating a noise perfectly made to put her teeth on edge.

She loosed a relieved sigh as the noise stopped and the way was open to her. Boto followed her out into the metal hallway, one of many in the bowels of the police station, and in fact one on the lowest level actually reachable by the elevator shaft.

Officers stood post in between the doors on each side, each leading to one of the specialized cells. She only had her eyes on the one at the end. Lin glanced to the side at the short woman operating the controls in a small office. "Keep the elevator here. We're taking him up."

The woman jumped and fumbled for the intercom on the wall, nearly bumping her nose on the speaker. "Y-yes, commander."

Her boots clicked on the floor as she strode past each officer, giving them nods while she set her sights on the thick metal door at the end, flanked by Nisha and Hei, guards dressed in sturdier armor than usual. They both saluted as she came to a stop. "Open it."

Nisha dropped the salute, pointing her hands at the door then pulling them towards her side of the hallway. The sturdy metal slab easily slid into the wall, opening the room up to Lin and Boto.

Inside the boy's head was bowed, his stringy black hair forming a cover over his face as he knelt on the floor, feet and hands bound to points in the walls by thick chains. She held her gaze as as she approached, not even getting a curious glance from the boy. "It's time."

Boto didn't say a word as he watched Nisha and Hei move into the room, followed by two other officers. They took up positions near each point on the wall a chain was fixed to. At a curt nod from Lin they each pointed a hand at the chain nearest to them, the links snapping free of the cuffs on Tai's wrists and ankles and dropping to the floor with a clang. They extended their wires, attaching them in place as they closed in on him.

Without a word Tai got to his feet, wobbling a little but staying mostly still, his head still bowed. They all looked at Lin as she turned on a crisp heel, Boto joining moving to her side.

She started walking, eyes now on the elevator while Boto kept his eye on the boy as Nisha, Hei and the two guards kept close guard around him, their eyes always on him. Hei had a note of sadness to his, while Nisha's had disappointment.

They reached the elevator, with Lin and Boto stepping to the side to allow him and his guards through first, coming to a stop in the center of the elevator. She nodded at Boto, seeing the look of worry on him as he followed her into the elevator, standing by her side while the doors closed.

Lin pushed the ground floor button and the elevator rumbled to life, picking up speed as it took them up the shaft.

All was silent in the elevator, the air filled with tension only broken by a occasional cough or someone shifting their feet. Lin didn't know how, but somehow there was no noise from the manacles, like he didn't move even a single muscle.

The elevator came to a shuddering stop, the dial above the door dinging as the wrought-iron arrow pointed to the middle notch. The doors jerked apart, opening to the brighter halls of the building's ground floor, currently empty in anticipation of his transportation.

Everyone could hear muffled shouting and yelling, echoing in the large polished space of the reception hall up ahead, the long benches that normally played host to a citizen with a problem or officers checking out their gear on the way out on patrol, now deserted and fenced off for them to make their way through. What people there were had been regulated to a smaller series of booths off to the side, where the original reception room once stood.

She steeled herself once they had come to the double doors, only stopping to nod at her officers before stepping forwards and throwing them open.

Once outside, the uproar instantly hit them.

"It's him. The Grey Man!"

"Hope you rot in that hole, airbender!"

"Put him away for good! Do it for Tenzin!"

Lin furrowed her eyebrows at his mention, keeping her eyes on the straight path from the entrance of the police station to the waiting van up ahead, officers lining the path and keeping back the baying crowds. She led them forwards, seeing the worry clear on Boto as he looked at the state the crowds were in.

Makei looked up as they approached the open doors of the van, giving her a nod and shaking his head at the unruly crowds. "Better get to it." he had his voice raised over the din.

She nodded. "Is Saikhan already there?"

"He is. Just waiting on your and him. I'd be to, but you know how I am with these things."

"Understood." Lin nodded to Makei and turned to Tai, placing her hand on his shoulder and steering him into the confined safety of the armored van she spotted the guilt and worry, and for a moment she saw a wetness in his eyes.

Boto and her officers climbed in after her and the boy, taking seats on either side of him while she sat by the doors. They closed and she heard Makei knock twice on the side of the van, signalling the driver.

With a shaking jolt the van came to life, bearing them away from the sturdy protection of the building.

* * *

_City Hall._

In the stillness of the hall only broken by the occasional angry murmur directed at the boy restrained by his four guards, or the whump of a camera flash, the Spirit Wolf's low whine seemed positively loud to her ears.

She looked down at Kaze, rubbing the side of his snout both to still him and to keep herself calm and collected. Korra counted herself lucky that the spirit-wolf couldn't see past the guards posted around his master, although he still strained every now and then when he caught his scent.

Next to her, Zuko grimaced.

Korra steadied herself with a breath and looked over her shoulder at Asami, with Iroh and Verick sitting on either side of her on the middle of the bench, while Bolin and Sensha sat closer to the aisle. She found herself wondering about the stony expression on Iroh that surfaced whenever he glanced at the boy, then at his grandfather.

Behind the bench they all sat on, the crowds mutter among themselves, some among them holding notepads or hefting cameras, the rest either being from the rich families of the city, always eager to have a opinion to weigh in on the council's decisions.

She caught Lin's eye as she stood at guard near the desk Tai had been taken to, still flanked by her officers. Boto and Mako sat on the benches behind him. their faces guarded.

A line of stony-faced officers stretched across the hall, guarding the steps up to the council.

Out of the doors leading to the hallway behind the council floor, the council walked in. Wu and Pok led the way, followed by Kya and Bumi, both of them wearing stony expressions and trying their best to appear natural, while Tenzin led the rear, his eyes downcast as the five of them made their way to the council table.

The five of them took their places, with Wu at the center, his eyes sympathetic as they watched the boy.

Out from one of the hallways the Council Page scurried into view, stopping at the top of the steps to address the crowd. "The hearing may now begin. Councilman Wu will preside over the hearing of the case for and against the conviction of the airbender known as Tai.""

Wu nodded his thanks to the page as he bowed and stepped off to the side. "We shall begin. Councilman Tenzin?"

Tenzin nodded, clearing his throat and standing up from his chair, looking out over the heads of the crowd. "Being the boy's legal guardian and his teacher in the ways of airbending, I declare myself a impartial observer, exempt from this ruling." He sat back down, giving Korra a comforting nod.

Pok saw this, before turning to address the hall "The council will offer their views on the fate of the defendant."

Kya stood up first. "That boy is the student of my younger brother. There isn't a kinder soul in Republic City. It is my belief that he was under the manipulation of someone else. Not only were his actions reckless and life-endangering, they were also erratic."

"Uh. Me too." Bumi added, sheepishly sitting back in his chair.

Pok had his eyebrow raised as he stood up, looking directly at the boy. "This boy was partially responsible for Amon's downfall. But his brother was also a Equalist. I know not what compelled him to undertake the actions he did, but it is... also my belief that his actions were not of his own."

At this the crowd whispered and murmured, camera flashes going off as confusion rippled among them. Tenzin glanced a quick look at the Northern representative, before composing himself.

"Avatar. You are as important a figure as the rest of us, if not even more so. As... a close confidant of the defendant, what do you say?"

Behind her, the crowd whispered and muttered as she stood up, her eyes on the council table. Wu and Pok nodded immediately while Kya and Bumi showed small smiles as their way of supporting her.

Korra fought the urge to gulp as the hall fell silent and all eyes turned on her. She calmed her nerves by holding a gaze with Tenzin, keeping her eyes on his calm expression. "Aang... was my predecessor. He knew right from wrong. And he also knew that your actions can be controlled." She kept her eyes open, clenching her teeth at the thought of bringing up those memories. "Amon took away the bending of countless men and women using bloodbending, including me. His brother, Tarrlok, used it to control and manipulate, like Yakone before him. As the Avatar, I believe he was being - controlled by someone, or something, to do what he did. He's innocent."

Wu nodded at this. "It seems the council shares your sentiments."

"The people may now have their say."

Immediately uproar filled the hall, getting a frustrated grunt out of Korra as the noise drowned out her thoughts, stopping her from trying to figure out a better speech she could make to help him, even if he didn't want it.

"Besides the fact of this entire hearing being a shame, isn't what this boy did a capital offence, councilman? If he had done the same to me I would not have been so-"

The old fire nation man directed a withering look at the obese earth kingdom reporter. "That is the difference between you and me, Mr Bun. Your mindset suits you as a reporter, while mine suits my position on this council."

"It's Yun." he muttered as he sat back down amidst the crowd.

"While all of us are agreed that the boy was not in control of his actions, and therefore, considered innocent in the eyes of the law, this council must still impose a punishment."

Korra stiffened, but didn't say anything.

Behind his laced fingers, Wu was deep in his thoughts. "It is the ruling of this council, two of our number against exiling the boy, and two in favor of, that he be barred from the city limits, never to return... the alternative is house arrest, that he be confined to Air Temple Island, all four members of which are in favor of."

The crowds murmured behind her as she glanced at Tai, seeing the mix of worry and relief in his guarded expression.

"And what about his involvement in Councilman Shizu, my dear friend's disappearance?"

In the silence that followed, Pok looked sidelong at Wu, both of them avoiding Tenzin's eye. "Yes... that is a different matter entirely."

Korra's eyes widened. She stood up with a start, her hands tightened into fists. Next to her Zuko narrowed his eyes, and behind them Asami, Iroh, Bolin and Sensha all exchanged glances. Verick arched a eyebrow. Behind Tai, Boto and Mako stiffened.

Next to Tai, Lin did as well.

She stared up at the outraged look on Tenzin, at Kya and Bumi, knowing that they needed to say something now. Her instincts took over, and by her side, Kaze growled. "But that's not true! He didn't do it! It was Telei! He's the gray man!"

"Wu! You promised-"

"Who... is Telei?" Korra stared off into space, frozen as she heard the dull tone that had suddenly surfaced in Wu's voice.

Tenzin raised a eyebrow as he scowled at Wu from the end of the table, while the crowd began to whisper and shift. Korra turned to Zuko,to seek his help only to be looking at a empty seat. She blinked twice, wondering for a moment where he had disappeared to.

She shook her head and gritted her teeth, taking a step forward, about to get out there and speak her mind when the floor shifted before the steps shifted. Korra froze as rumbles shook City Hall.

Wu stood up from his seat, as rigid as a statue, his eyes hard unforgiving. "The boy will be exiled and taken into custody of the Earth Kingdom."

Kya and Bumi stood up from their seats, staring at him as Tenzin did the same. Next to him Pok remained seated, his face neutral. "What?"

Tenzin glared at Wu. "The boy did kidnap Councilman Shizu. And Shizu is a citizen of the Earth Kingdom. A highly regarded one at that."

Bolin and Sensha looked around, while Iroh stood up and calmly surveyed their surroundings. The crowd behind them whispered and murmured, fear and panic beginning to grip them.

Before Korra's eyes, someone surfaced out of the floor like it was the surface of a pond, seemingly liquid when it should have been solid rock. Green eyes, cold and unforgiving, stared straight at her, a glint of green visible by the man's side.

On either side of him, men and woman appeared, dressed in dark clothing with rockfists covering their hands, their faces hidden by black wide-brim hats. Behind them, the line of officers began to shout and got to action, unspooling their cables only for holes in the floor to open up and swallow each and every one of them.

The crowd screamed, of the one mind to get up and leave the hall, running for the doors to get away from the strange earthbenders, dropping their cameras and notepads in the process.

Korra's eyes widened.

Lin growled and stepped forward, her wrist armor forming into a blade as Nisha and Hei took up positions by her side, the two other guards freeing their cables from the manacles on Tai's wrist and ankles to face the larger threat. "Dai Li!"

Wu and Pok paid her no mind as they directed their question to the tall and bald man standing in front of the steps, a green crystalline blade slowly extending from his deep sleeve. "Secretary Koa. You and your men are free to apprehend the guilty party."

Tenzin was the first to shout. "Tai. Run!"

Tai's breathing quickened amidst Kaze's growls.

* * *

火


	10. The Rogue Flame, the Shaking Earth

**A/N**

Right. So the Dai Li are visiting the city. And they're taking Tai back to vacation with them at Lake Laogai. Kind of a downer.

I've always kind of had the idea of the Dai Li coming to Republic City at some point. After all, it did use to be Earth Kingdom territory, something which I think is something the Earth King would never forget, no matter if the case was settled decades beforehand. And it is now a major technological power, which would be to beneficial if it were under their control.

Anywho, please review, and please criticize.

The next should be out within a couple of days. 3-5, tops.

* * *

火**  
**

* * *

The Director smirked, looking at them all. "Under the authority of the Earth King, I suggest you don't interfere. We will be forced to act."

Immediately Korra advanced, all of her thoughts geared to pounding the snake-eyed creep into the floor. "No thanks." she said with a snarl, holding up her fists and adopting a loose footing, glancing over her shoulder at Tai.

He still hadn't moved.

"Very well, Avatar." The Director snapped his fingers, the noise echoing in the hall. Her eyes narrowed as Dai Li agents dropped from the ceiling and rose up from the floor everywhere she looked, splitting into four separate groups.

A wild yell echoed in the hall from the council table, as both Bumi and Kya immediately charged the agents around them, bowling them over before using their distraction to draw them into the hallway behind the council floor, making certain that none could get near Tenzin.

She heard Pabu's shrill squeaks as the largest of the four surrounded Bolin, Sensha, Asami and Iroh, the four of them pressed together and hemmed in by a bench in front and another behind.

Iroh had a controlled grimace on, while Bolin and Sensha both looked desperately around them, and Asami slowly moved a hand towards her hip. Verick just muttered something about always being caught in the wrong situations. Zuko was still absent.

Before she could react several of the agents launched their rockfist at them. Iroh destroyed a few with his fireblasts, only to be struck by several at once on the wrists and stomach, winding him while the agents constantly moved in dizzying circles and sweeps as they forced Asami, Bolin and Sensha to bunch up while a pair restrained Verick.

Korra's heart pounded and her thoughts whirled in confusion as Dai Li agents surrounded her from every side, cutting her off from them and the rest of the hall behind her and the council table in front. Her eyes flicked to where Tai still stood, still frozen.

Not letting them have the chance to act first she ran at the agents in front of her, lunging with a wild punch of air that bowled the unprepared among them over, while the others simply retaliated by manipulating the marble near her feet. She weaved and hopped, increasingly finding little room to do so as behind her several rockfists took flight, some scoring her in the back and others punching into the back of her calves.

She hissed as she collapsed to one knee, immediately rising against the blinding pain in her leg and pounding a fist on the floor, uprooting the stone around her. Most of the agents lost their footing and concentration and some were flung well away from the fighting, slamming into the walls or back down onto the floor with a meaty smack.

Clamping a hand down on her calve she put automatically went to stand on that leg, only to scream and fall back down. As soon as she did she could hear regular footsteps, felt the roughness as solid rock encased her hands, keeping them painfully pressed together while the same was done to her ankles.

Lying on her side she tried to wriggle around only to get a swift kick in the stomach to stop her. She ignored the blow, able to stay conscious long enough to see Mako and Boto being overwhelmed by a handful of agents each.

Some of the agents she had downed before had recovered, moving towards her with caution, one on each side. One of them reached down towards her only to be slammed off his feet by a precisely aimed flow of air, stopping as a tangled heap in the rows of benches that were still standing right past Tai's shoulder.

She tried to speak up, to shout at him to get up and run as the agents surrounding her turned to face the new threat.

"Korra!" she heard in her ringing ears. Shifting on her shoulder she flipped herself over, watching as Tenzin ducked and weaved around the Dai Li agents. Tenzin didn't stay still, moving around and around in a constant circle to avoid the rockfists and projectiles being thrown at him. His still recovering leg pained him greatly, resulting in ever more lagging movements and dodges until he began to slow, and the Dai Li pounced.

A pair of agents held onto his arms while one drove his knee into Tenzin's chest, getting a rasping breath out of him as he fell back. Once he was on the floor a black cloth was tied over his mouth, and they turned him over to place thick and heavy clamps around his wrists and ankles.

The Director calmly walked past him towards her with a smirk, his eyes solely focused ahead on the boy, and on Nisha and Hei as they both launched their cables while Kaze lunged at him.

He calmly watched as the cables wrapped around his wrists and the two officers kept his arms extended and locked, while the spirit-wolf turned his body to the side to slam into the man's chest.

The Director kicked his foot out. Kaze yelped as a column of earth punched into his belly and sent him crashing to the floor with a pained whimper. Nisha and Hei both advanced, only for him to jerk his chin and split the column into two smaller halves, hitting both of them at the same time.

Rockfists from either side spun at them, slamming into their wrists and ankles and tripping them up.

Behind them, the boy still stared, stunned into stillness.

"Enough!" Lin shouted.

Lin came to the stunned boy's defence. Her bracers formed into thick blades as she stepped between him and the advancing director, also shielding Nisha and Hei nearby, ready to face the intruder while he calmly continued to walk towards her.

When he got close enough she struck, blades grinding against the upraised crystal needle protruding from the director's wrist. The man smirked, pushing a slate-covered hand into her chest as response and stomping his foot.

Lin stumbled back,tripping over a upraised square of rock and tumbling to the ground, agents scrambling to encase her hands and feet in wooden cuffs before she could recover.

His agents dragged her off, one of them getting a headbutt and another being tripped over.

Once again, the Director smirked at the boy. "Now. Where were we?"

Korra's eyes widened as they focused on the rigid back of the Director as he began to strode towards the boy. She stared at him, wishing he would just run, that for once he would turn away from a fight.

But there he stood, still as a statue as the gaunt figure of the director continued to draw close. Tai's eyes fixated on the deadly green glint on his wrist, and on Lin Beifong where she had fallen in front of him. His thoughts begged his muscles to start moving or to at least do something.

But they wouldn't. He couldn't.

She saw his eyes widen as he took a step back, tumbling over the top of a bench and awkwardly scrambleto his feet as the Director approached, now with no-one to stand between him and his goal.

Korra saw Lin struggling as the Dai Li lifted her into the air along with Nisha and Hei, bringing them to where they had gathered the others in a orderly line, a trio of agents watching over them while she and Tenzin were kept separate, carefully monitored by a pair each where they laid on the ground.

A grunt came out of her as she continuously moved her wrists as best she could, at the same time trying her best to claw at the innards of the rock encasing her hands. She tried earthbending, concentrating on the rock to shatter it only for the numbness in her wrists and ankles to ruin her concentration.

One of the agents noticed her movements and lifted his leg in preparation for a kick to the gut to still her when the sound of echoing footsteps stopped him. He twisted around, enough for her to get a glimpse of the table where Tai had been standing behind and the still figure of the director as he stood in the center of the benches, looking down their lengths at the back of a desperately running boy.

The director gave a slight nod to one of his agents and turned to address Korra, looking down at her. "Its a shame he had to do that."

His crystal needle glinted as he straightened, putting a series of numb chills down her spine as she watched him turn and walk down the hall, his deliberate footsteps echoing loudly while he watched the boy run up a flight of stairs near the entrance, a small smile on.

* * *

A rockfist cracked across his back, spinning him around before he righted himself as the window loomed ahead. Crossing his arms over each other in front of his face he grunted as the tip of his foot caught on the windowsill, sending him toppling out into the air above the side-streets around City-Hall.

Another rock fist sailed over his head, slamming into the face of the apartment across the street.

He flailed, desperately reaching for anything to stop him from falling before the tips of his fingers managed to close around a lamp situated below the window sill. His wrist ached as he held on, struggling to keep his grip and pull himself up and away from the three-story drop to the streets below.

Normally he wouldn't have thought twice about doing so, but the past few days had just left him ragged to the bone. So much that his grip on the lightpole was almost nonexistent. Ignoring the disturbing silence coming from within the building he set his sights upwards to the blue dome, glinting in the meager sunlight managing to pierce through the thick overcast clouds on the grey afternoon before the sun had to set.

He had to get out of the city before nightfall. If he didn't then the Dai Li would easily catch him.

The sound of footsteps coming from the hallway urged him to reach for the keystone capping the arched window, ignoring the burn in his shoulder as he hanged there, his legs dangling in front of the broken glass. Knowing he couldn't stay for long he searched for something else to grab onto, his eyes landing on a pipe nearby, running straight up to the edge of the roof above.

Keeping one hand on the keystone he swung himself back and forth, approaching footsteps from the corridor inside the broken window quickening his breath and making his heart pound. He gritted his teeth, ignoring his inner voice as he coiled his feet and pushed from the wall, letting go completely and blasting a loosely controlled stream of air below himself to the streets below.

It carried him upwards, jerking him around as his breaths came out quick and heavy with the effort of controlling that much air. He ignored the pins and needles in his hands as he caught sight of the roof's edge approaching fast. He cut off the stream, letting momentum carry him for a second before grabbing the curved brick edging with both hands, he grunted as his body and legs slammed into the wall, the impact spurring him to quickly pull himself up, rolling away from the edge of the roof and gasping in air as his muscles burned.

The urge to stay there and close his eyes was almost too much for him as he forced himself upright, setting his sights on the towering buildings across the street from him and ignoring the thoughts that continued to tear at him.

They told him to go back, to get back in there and at least stand with them, he couldn't do anything on his own, this was just to save his own skin. He wasn't like that anymore. The thoughts told him to go back in there and help them when a green-eyed specter swatted them away, looming in his mind.

Behind him, the cement cracked open. And around him Dai Li appeared.

"Surrender yourself, airbender."

Despite being given to collapse at any moment he whirled around blasted a hastily aimed pulse at the gaunt Director. The bald man simply glanced at it as the wild mass simply spun past his ear into the sky.

"You know that your friends have been captured. I'm sure you don't want to bring further harm to them by running."

"Don't be so sure about her."

"You're right." Kao gave a nod and some of the Dai Li behind Tai nodded. They sunk through the concrete of the roof into City Hall's interior. Tai swore under his breath.

The boy tightened his fist and looked down at it. The rain-streaked memory flashed in his eyes. "Why me?" His voice shook as he kept a eye on the agents standing motionless around him and the Director.

"The Earth Kingdom can't bring a ghost to justice. Not for want of trying, though." Kao sighed and shook his head, moving closer. "And who better to answer for the master's crime than the student?"

"I'm Tenzin's student!" Even though he heard the belief in his voice, his own thoughts betrayed him. Could he even go back there after what he had done? Face up to any of them?

Tired as he was he managed to spark a flame in his hand, curling the air around it into a compressed ball.

"If that were true then why aren't you in there now?" The sphere in his hand sputtered a little as his desire to fuel it ebbed. He swallowed and shook his head, not letting the creep get to him.

"In any case..." The Director of the Dai Li raised his rock-covered hand. "There's no need for a decision to be made. Judging from prior experience you won't give up so easily, and you have forced my hand."

At his gesture the Dai Li aimed their rockfists at him, methodically closing in.

He thought about giving up. He tried to resign himself to waiting for them to restrain him or knock him out or just take him away, never to see Republic City again. He really tried.

But try as he might, he simply couldn't win out over instinct.

As soon as the closest Dai Li began to make earthbending gestures he narrowed his eyes and raised his hand skyward, holding up the wildly spinning sphere and pulling the air around him into a protective sheath. The outside of the sphere buckled and split, forcing the wind and fire inside to rush out in a billowing wave, knocking the agents to the ground and almost bowling over the Director if he hadn't locked his feet in place.

Cold green eyes stared into him as the boy turned and sprinted anew, using the wind to go faster and faster across the roof. Every inch of his arms and legs burned and every breath he took felt suffocating, but none of that mattered as he set his sights on the highway behind City Hall connecting to all the central districts.

The wind whistled in his ears as he sailed through the air, leaping from the roof, the rear-end of City Hall looming behind him with the Director calmly observing him from the roof edge as he landed on the ground.

Before he could catch his breath or realize how close he was to collapse he formed a pair of air-spheres under his feet and took off through a alleyway between two apartments standing between him and the highway.

Tai fought the urge to look behind him to check for pursuit, keeping his eyes forward as he shot out of the shadows into the grey light, landing on the two-laned highway and speeding away from the Dai Li.

He fought to control the wild spin of the air-spheres underneath each of his feet as he kept his balance and forward momentum as he sped along the highway, his limbs steadily getting heavier as he began to flag and run out of breath.

Shaking his head he continued forwards, pouring more energy into the air-spheres to keep going, ignoring the fact that he was leaving the Dai Li free to do what they pleased with Tenzin and Korra, with the others. With Korra-

Growling he shook the lingering thought away, resetting his teeth and focusing solely on the road ahead. He had to get out of there. Find Telei. Make him pay for what he did. Tarrin wouldn't have wanted it any other-

The wind whipped his hair and filled his ears as he glanced behind him at the shrinking cluster of buildings separating him from Celestial Square and the blue dome of City Hall.

His breathing grew labored and his vision started to dim, his limbs grew heavy as he realized he just couldn't go on anymore. The boy quickly glanced around for some sort of refuge to recover his strenght, landing on a alley entrance coming up.

Instead of gradually slowing, the spheres ended up vanishing completely under his feet, making him tumble to the streetside. He picked himself up and dragged himself into the alley entrance, leaning against the wall and getting scrapes on his shoulder through the thin orange fabric.

Breathing heavily, he closed his eyes, just for a moment.

* * *

_City Hall._

While her thoughts drifted in a meditative sea, Korra kept rubbing her wrists up and down inside their earthen prison, pretty sure she had chipped away at the porous rock a little, enough to be able to wiggle her hands just a bit. If it wasn't for the curved length of earth connecting them with the earth-cuffs on her feet, keeping her hands and feet bound as she knelt, she would have already bent the daylights out of the men keeping them here.

She had to get free and needed to do it fast. But that would be putting Tenzin in danger as well as everyone else. She needed to surprise them.

So she waited. Biding her time.

Behind her Bolin kept muttering something under his breath, while next to him Asami just glowered at the earthbenders. Mako was silent, his mouth set in a grim line.

"I'm very sorry about this, my brother talks about you all the time, ms Avatar, and you as well ms Beifong, and I'm just so sorry about having to hold you captive like this. Please don't hate me?"

Korra gave the Dai Li guy a strange glance as his mouth continued to babble under the shadowed recesses of his wide-brim hat, nervously pacing back and forth between her and Lin.

He stiffened and lowered his head so that the hat hid his features in murky shadow as another of the agents approached him, glancing past Korra, impatiently drumming his gloved fingers with a scowl. "Get them ready for transport."

"Sir? Didn't the Director-"

"He wants them moved now."

Lin growled at the sound of this as she watched the two of them like a hawk.

The older agent stopped and gave her a amused smirk. "Get the 'World's Greatest Metalbender' in first, don't want her causing trouble."

Two of his agents nodded, stopping on either side of the metalbender to grab her shoulders. Surprisingly Lin didn't do anything.

Korra wondered why for a moment before she noticed the glint in her eyes. The woman managed a slight nod before the two agents started to walk her away, jerking her chin upwards for a second.

She looked up, catching sight of Bumi and Kya on the walkways in the upper reaches of the hall. Korra quickly looked back down before the Dai Li could catch her.

As she did she caught snippets of a series of murmurs being passed between Mako and Bolin.

"Quiet!"

"Ah- hey! Watch it!" Bolin hissed as one of the agents came over and kicked him in the side. Inside his collar Pabu chittered nervously, getting a curious glance from the agent. He bent down to wrench back the boy's collar, only for a flash of red and orange fur to bite his hand and growl.

At this Mako's eyes flicked up to the agent, a slight snarl on his features.

Next to him, Korra noticed the edges of a pure blue orb nestled inside Asami's sleeve, hidden away. She gave her a nod, giving the slightest jerk of her chin towards Mako and Bolin.

Mako groaned and mumbled and sniffed loudly. The Dai Li agent nearby gave him a strange look. He coughed amid a series of sniffs, while Bolin had a worried look on him.

On the other side of Asami, Iroh and Verick swapped glances.

"Uh, mr Dai Li guy? My brother's coming down with something."

"Shut it kid." The older agent grumbled.

"But uh..." Mako's sneezes grew more violent and he started to cough and hack, pitching forward with a groan, laying facedown on the floor. "I think its really bad!" He timed his protest over the gnawing sounds coming from behind his back.

"I said shut it!"

"But he'll-"

The older agent blew a annoyed breath and came towards Bolin with his rockfist, raised only for Mako flip over and sneeze a plume of fire into his side. The swarthy man cried out as it bowled him over, sliding him across the polished floor into a column near the base of the steps.

"What did you do-" Bolin's hands came free as Pabu finished his work, allowing the boy to earthbend a square of rock into the Dai Li coming over, before bending down and shattering the rock encasing Mako's hands, moving on to free Asami when he heard footsteps behind him-

Something slid in between his legs towards the Dai Li agent about to strike from behind. Bolin went to turn when Mako pulled him down with one hand, using a static charge on his other hand on the discharger core sitting underneath the Dai Li agent.

The electricity he fed into it found the nearest sources of metal on the Dai Li agent's clothes and gauntlets, knocking him out with a powerful blast.

Bolin gulped as he freed Asami, moving on to Iroh and Verick. The two of them nodded at him and got to their feet, with Iroh pulling up Asami. Bolin quickly ran over to Tenzin and broke his earthen bonds as well.

Tenzin straightened, rubbing his wrists. "Thank you." Immediately he launched two spear-shaped masses towards the Dai Li about to haul Lin off through a side-door, slamming the two of them into the walls with resounding thuds.

Lin protested as he used the wind scoop her up and bring her over, getting a punch on the shoulder as soon as he released the wind. "I hate it when you do that!"

"Do what?"

The metalbender woman growled as she looped a arm around his shoulder to support his bad leg. "It took all I had not to do anything."

Tenzin nodded, raising his hand towards the older Dai Li agent as he surveyed the damage to his squad, looking at all of them.

"Of course I get stuck with the newbie squad-" Whatever he was about to say was cut off as a column of earth shot up into his chin, lifting him off his feet and throwing him to the floor with a mighty crash, his wide-brim hat getting flung away.

The hall started to shake and rumble around Tenzin and Lin. "Korra!"

Tenzin's words rang in her ears but she couldn't hear him. Her eyes blazed gold as she shattered the earthen bonds on her wrists and ankles into dust, straightening and lifting herself up towards the blue dome with a spinning column of wind.

Lin's hand held onto his shoulder, and he turned to her. "Can you keep up?"

The dome shattered as Korra bursted through, leaving the hall behind. He nodded to Lin, turning to the others as they came over. Asami came over, a determined look in her eye. "We'll catch up."

* * *

_Central Borough._

"Contain him!"

Tai's eyes flew open just as warning bells went off in his head, he stirred at the same time as a boot crashed into his shoulder. The shock of pain bolted through his system, waking him up as he crashed backwards into the wall.

He tried to raise his hand, only managing to shoot a single blast of wind that tore of some of the wide-brim hats of the Dai Li squad surrounding him before they all raised their hands in unison.

Rockfists punched into his body from every side, raining so many blows his skin began to go numb. He hardly felt his back slamming against the bricks as a rockfist flew at each of his wrists and ankles, pinning him up spreadeagled on the wall.

As they closed in, his tired mind started to think that maybe he should just go back to sleep again. Get it over with. No more running. No more Republic City. No more Telei. Just rest.

He hung his head, staring without seeing at the dirty cracked concrete as they shifted and moved, slowly coming closer and keeping the chatter among themselves to a minimum until a few of them finally came closer. "Time to answer for Shizu, airbender."

His eyes hardly flicked up at the obvious mistake the Dai Li were making, too tired to try and fight anymore. He nodded once as the rattle of a something heavy being thrown reached his ears.

One of the Dai Li on the outside of the group yelped as something wrapped around his chest, pinning his arms to his sides as he tumbled to the ground. His comrades immediately searched in the direction of the projectile, in time for a charge of electricity to run through another, he cried out and fell to the ground. The others turned away from Tai and drew closer together.

A silvery canister rolled underneath their feet, green gas spilling out of both ends and engulfing the squad in a thick cloud. Coughing and sputtering came from within as he heard several thuds.

The gas didn't envelop him, but the smell curled up into his nostrils and made his eyes water, burning his throat a little. Through his watery vision someone dropped to the floor of the alley from one of the fire escapes above, her grey eyes standing out above the thick black mask covering her mouth and nose.

His eyes widened. "Yem?"

The young woman didn't answer as she looked up at him. "You're _lucky_ that he was your brother." Her tone was hoarse, quiet, and even behind mask thick from grief.

Frozen, he lowered his eyes, watching as she turned without another word deeper into the alley, her black-clad figure melding with the shadows.

A second later or a minute, maybe even a hour later he caught sight of a black cable going taut as it reached from above, vibrating as something sped down its length to reach ground level. The others did the same, getting the Dai Li's attention in time for several pairs of combat boots to slam them to the ground, wires being retracted and aimed at the unconscious Dai Li in front of him.

The earthen bonds pinning him to the wall disappeared and he dropped to the ground. "Not the best place for a rest, son."

Tai looked up, seeing Makei's black crewcut as he looked down at him, his hand extended. Tai didn't take it, trying to rise on his own only for Makei to roll his eyes and pull him up to his feet. "We've quite a mess on our hands and you seem to be in the thick of it." Makei sighed at the despondent look on him. "Don't look so resigned. We're not handing you over to them."

At his gesture the metalbenders with him took up positions on either side of him and Tai, and they started down the alley. He lingered for a moment before following them. "Where..." He bit down a groan as he felt every ache in his body. "...Where are we going?"

"I'm taking you back to Air Temple Island. Then my boys and I are gonna beat the stuffing out of these Dai Li pushovers."

"...Okay." Tai stared down at his feet, suddenly reluctant to leave the dark confines of the dirty alley.

Makei stopped and pinched his nose. "Kid... right now I don't care what you've done. Honestly you would have done the city a favor if you pulled it off."

The metalbender folded his arms, turning away from him to one of his officers, kneeling on the ground with a receiver held to his ear, connected to a backpack radio sitting in front of him.

"What's that? Say again... You gotta be kidding me. Headquarter's has gone dark! Just static! Dammit, Hei knows how to use this stuff, not me..."

"Damn, who the hell are these guys?" He heard Isshi mutter after a swear.

"Don't know. I thought they were refugees from the Earth Kingdom. Haven't heard from Saikhan or Commander Beifong either." One of the other metalbenders, Isshi, if Tai remembered correctly, said.

"Cheap trick." Makei looked away from him, deep in thought. He looked back up and indicated deeper into the alley. "Alright, we'll head to the nearest depot and resupply before going to Air Temple Island. There's got to be somebody left we can contact-"

"Commander! Dai Li! Lots of them. Coming this way."

"Dammit, we took too long... that's the way to Air Temple Island."

"Can't we circle around?"

"We go up."

Before he could protest Makei got a firm grip on his arm as the other metalbenders launched their cables at the roofs of the buildings above, Makei did the same, and Tai felt his stomach lurch as the cable winched him up and away from the alley.

A moment later they reached the edge of the roof. Makei bent down to pull him up, keeping a close eye on him as he led the way to the opposite edge of the roof where his men stood, peering down at something that caught their attention.

Makei grimaced as he left Tai to stand there while he moved inbetween them. He glanced at the confused expression on Isshi, before following the man's gaze and spotting the airship hovering over the tops of the buildings ahead of them. A line of trucks blocked the street below it, sitting behind metalbenders as they stood behind a heavy looking metal barricade. There were similar barricades on the streets going in the other directions from the intersection as well.

His eyes narrowed at the sight of Saikhan standing uncomfortably next to a tall bald man, still in comparison.

Tai heard the tell-tale whisper of a bladed edge sliding out of a sheath, and whirled around to look behind them. His eyes settled on someone wielding a pair of scimitars before a blur of earthen projectiles launched at them, catching them by surprise.

Makei quickly acted, stomping his foot and thrusting his arms outward with a growl on his features. The middle of the roof lifted upwards in a thick cube, separating them from the Dai Li squad for a few precious seconds. He threw glances at his squad before grabbing the stricken boy again. "We're going down there."

He turned and dragged the boy along behind as his men jumped off the roof, launching their cables into the asphalt below. He did the same, tremors shaking Tai's worn-down body as the rushing wind took his breath away.

A moment later they landed in the middle of the intersection, immediately being met by Saikhan with a loudspeaker.

Makei moved to keep the boy behind him as he and his men moved forward to greet him. "Chief-"

"Commander Makei, stand down and step away from the fugitive!"

Tai automatically took a few steps back, nearly stumbling on the curb as all of his attention focused on Makei and his squad.

The veteran metalbender glanced over his shoulder at him before cables snaked out of his wrist launchers as he held his arms up, while his squad hesitated for a second before doing the same. He jerked his chin at the thin man. "Suppose this is on the 'secretary's' orders?"

"Don't worry, Chief. I have my own method in mind." Kao snapped his fingers.

A dark shape dropped to the street between Makei's squad and Tai, lunging at the boy and slamming him up against the brick wall behind him.

Makei turned around to confront the Dai Li agent keeping Tai pinned, only to be stopped when he spotted the curved swords being held against the boy's neck. Behind him, Kao held a small smirk.

"Ling?"

He squinted in the bright flashing lights, making out his telltale ponytail and black hair, but unable to recognize the look in his eyes. There was usually a lightness to them. But they were blank, hard like rock.

Tai looked past him, resisting the urge to swallow against the twin scimitar edges held against his neck as he registered the flashing orange lights of a dozen patrol cycles, behind them rows of armored vans, and metalbenders all lined up with their cables at the ready.

All pointed at him.

The blades tightened against his neck, drawing blood and forcing his attention back to the earthbender, his thin face a mask, a tight control on the twin scimitars he held. "Ling... stop... this..."

The cheery earthbender didn't answer. Didn't do anything. Didn't even look like the Ling he knew.

"Give yourself up!" Tai blinked twice, peering through the blinding light and catching a blurry view of Chief Saikhan, glancing at Director Kao next to him as he shook his head and looked away from the loudspeaker, gritting his teeth.

His thoughts had shut down. Not even the burning sensation in his shoulder felt that vivid anymore. He just felt tired, so tired. Tai grimaced and nodded, ignoring the scimitars at his throat. Saikhan's voice rang out over the intersection, softer in tone. "C'mon kid. Please."

In the ensuing silence, he spotted the stricken expressions of Asami and Bolin standing out among the barricade, while Mako's was guarded. Boto and Sensa too. He loosed a sigh, waiting to get it over with.

Then change happened.

The air around them picked up dramatically, getting murmurs and whispers from the men on the barricades before some of them shouted and pointed up at the airship.

The cylindrical aircraft groaned as the winds it floated on began to shift and whip, making it tip and sway on either side, almost to the point of hitting the roofs of the buildings on either side.

Before the eyes of everyone in the intersection, a glowing nimbus of energy descended like a meteor onto the center of the asphalt. The scimitars came away from his neck, but the boy stood frozen as Ling turned to face a pair of blazing golden eyes. Without any concern for what he was going up against he ducked under a stream of fire, that splashed on the wall next to Tai, only to be slammed off his feet by a single punch to the face.

With wide eyes he saw Korra.

He watched as she turned away from him, floating above the intersection as the concrete cracked and fractured, some of the pieces floating in a fast orbit around her, parallel to a blazing stream of fire and a frothing stream of water which did the same.

Mako shouted something over the din while Pabu screeched, none of it reaching the girl as she slowly raised her hand and shouted a raw challenge at the Director of the Dai Li.

A crazy thought entered the stricken boy's head, forcing him to move.

The nimbus of whirling wind, raging flames, frothing water and shattered earth buffeted him from every angle as he slowly inched closer to the floating girl, a hand held up to cover his eyes as he took in massive gulps of air. Each step he took shortened as he came closer, managing to throw his hand forward and grab hers as it hung limply by her side. "KORRA-"

His skin crawled at the way her golden eyes pierced through him, when he truly realized what everyone meant by the Avatar being both spirit and human. Despite that he gritted his teeth and held on, staring into what were blue eyes. "I'M NOT WORTH IT!"

Slowly. Ever so slowly. That got through.

Gradually the rushing wind started to die down, the ever-expanding fissures and cracks underneath her stopped growing, and the water in the hydrants in the street stopped gushing. The fire in her golden eyes died down as she touched down in the middle of the broken street, the men on the barricade awestruck and scared into silence by the display.

Slowly some of them started to move in, giving her a wide berth as Tai bowed his head and stepped away from her, having lost the courage to even look at her as wires wrapped around him, pulling him to his knees.

* * *

_Police Headquarters._

Lin scowled at the pair of heavy iron slabs confronting them, in particular at the men dressed in black and green robes standing guard on either side. Tenzin glanced at her, silent.

As they approached the two guards laid their palms on the doors and pulled them open without a word. Lin and Tenzin stepped in, and her scowl only deepened at the sight of Kao seated behind the deep brown mahogany desk, while behind him Saikhan had his back to them, staring out of the room's only window.

"My apologies about the choice of room. My lord will be arriving soon and there were no other... suitable choices. Didn't Toph Beifong herself once sit in this very chair?"

Lin fought the overwhelming urge to wrap his head in a wire and _squeeze_. "The room as well." she growled.

Kao clasped his hands and nodded. "I was interested to know why the Chief of Police no longer uses this room as their office. Saikhan told me it was to honor your mother's memory that the room was sealed. What a waste of resources."

Lin's hand bunched into a fist. Tenzin saw this, quickly placing a cautious hand on hers before glaring at Kao. "You invade this city, try to arrest my student on false charges. The Earth Kingdom has no jurisdiction here, Kao. And you're no secretary."

"Oh, quite the contrary. I serve the Kingdom as both Spymaster and Secretary. Both positions tend to lend to the other, you see, much more efficient that way. And this city is on Earth Kingdom soil. It always has been."

Kao's eyes twinkled as Lin growled in response. "The Dai Li won't control this city!"

"Is that so? Among the rabble you call upon to enforce the laws of Republic City, how many can sense the earth underneath their feet, like you and your talented mother? How many are trained to dedicate themselves completely to the greater good? To think of themselves as only a part of a larger whole? You have more bodies to call upon than I do, but how dedicated are they to the people they protect? The people, among whom form the Triads that murder and steal and run rampant across this city under the 'watchful' eye of the law, often enough with the backing of your own _officials_." Kao laced his fingers together, regarding her as a ant. "From the age of six my men and women are put under a simple training regime. A single idea instilled into their minds from the moment they are selected: to survive and protect. They will save the Earth Kingdom, from external and internal threats, and if that includes executing a single boy than so be it."

Her blood boiled as she took a threatening step forward, getting no reaction from Kao. He sat there, still as a statue. "You have your mother's famous earth-sense, do you not? , Commander Beifong. I imagine it extends to common sense as well. It will take time for the United Forces to arrive, and I gather they would be hesitant to do so after what happened to the Fire Nation prince's warships during the Equalist uprising."

"You're holding the city hostage." Tenzin muttered, the very idea of a entire city full of people being confined the worst idea a airbender could think of.

"No. Just the controlling elements. The people can still go on with their lives. The less intrusion to the masses, the better."

Tenzin glanced at Saikhan. "And what about you? You're just going to let them do this?"

"Yes." The cutting edge of Saikhan's response surprised him.

Stricken, he clenched and unclenched his hand, knowing that Saikhan would never agree to something like this willingly. Tenzin remembered how he had been under Tarrlok.

"Oh, don't look so defeated, councilman. My liege will be arriving personally to escort the boy to Omashu, for a Earth Kingdom court to decide his fate. Once he is in our custody my men and I will depart from the city, leaving you free. Is that acceptable?"

He settled for glaring a the Director. "Where is he?"

"Guarded, councilman. But don't worry, he'll be scheduled for a interview after I've talked to him." Kao stood up from the desk and bowed to the two of them. "If you excuse me. I must prepare for the King's arrival."

The Director of the Dai Li ran his hand on the rich mahogany of the desk, slipping past Tenzin with a look of self-assuredness and heading out of the door.

As soon as he left Saikhan turned away from the window, his face haggard and worn-down.

"Explain. Now." Lin growled, advancing towards him.

It took Saikhan a few seconds to even turn away from the window, even longer to actually display a flickering mix of self-loathing and anger on his weathered features, even longer to actually answer he. "Either we handed him over or they take over the city!" He spoke, his words loud and sharp. Turning away from his colleague, the one-woman army who had protected the city for most of her life, he turned to Tenzin. "One kid for the entire city, Tenzin!"

Tenzin didn't answer, instead staring at a point on the wall. Saikhan held his ground.

"You actually think they'll leave." Lin muttered.

"On the top of the Agni Kais and the Red Monsoons, do you really think we could take the Dai Li, Beifong?"

Lin grinded her teeth as she shot a glare at Saikhan in furious silence, uncomfortable with being caught between a rock and a hard place.

* * *

火**  
**


	11. The Earthen Cage, the Darkest Time

**A/N**

So while writing this, I actually realised Police Headquarters is a lot thicker than it looks. I meant that iron hall thing on the top? Those square bits on the side are actual landing platforms for airships! How neat is that?

Anyway, there's something I need to say.

I think this is a good place to stop the story for a while and focus on getting my bearings. The story has suffered because of it. I've been getting too many ideas, trying to implement at the same time, and just making a absolute mess of things in my opinion. I haven't even done a read-through of the series up to this point.

That doesn't mean there won't be another 10 day wait for a chapter. What it means is that I'm just going to be taking a little time off to step away from the series, read it to myself, and go from there. I do have a clear outline of how this story and the final one will end, I just need to work on the events getting us there.

So, yeah. Please review and criticize folks, it really does go far.

* * *

火

* * *

_Dragon Flats District, Canal-8._

Once again she stopped just a moment, every fibre in her body telling her to go to her son, to help him, to try and do something, to stop the people trying to take him away and-

She closed her eyes and sighed. No. She had a duty to keep. And Tenzin would just do a better job of it anyway. Before moving onwards her hand automatically moved to the handle of the silvery-bladed sword on her back, bringing a rush of memories about all the times she had used it in the past.

Talisa came to a stop in the pitch black room, the smell of mold pervasive and rot running rampant in the wooden panelling on the floor and ceiling. It had been a while since she had stepped foot into this building, not liking it one bit, but she did understand why it was a good location for a storage cache.

Out of the way. Abandoned. Directly connected to the sewers.

Her nose wrinkled at the stink of bacteria and fungi in huge concentration somewhere close by. She blocked out the urge to wretch, wishing she didn't have such a keen use of her airbending as she flipped a cobweb choked lever mounted on the wall, walking down the rickety old steps in front of her as the voltage began to run through the thick wiring bolted to the wall, taking them two at a time until she saw the entrance into a brightly lit room at the bottom, already opened up.

The wiring clicked and fizzled for a few seconds as it fed back on itself. She ignored the intrusive noise, holding a hand up to protect her eyes as they adjusted from the gloom of the old orphanage to the well-lit interior of a fully-stock storage room.

Rows of lockers stood against the walls, while in the middle two long benches were place running most of the length. She spotted several pairs of googles with ghostly green lenses and brass frames, staring at her from shelves and racks also spread across the room while a young woman silently pored over them, a large rucksack on the floor by her leg.

Talisa stepped into the room, hands clasped as her shoes clicked loudly on the concrete. "How did you get the location?"

"He told me himself." Came the girl's reply, coldly tossed over her shoulder at Talisa.

The woman grimaced and nodded, keeping her chin low as the girl zipped up part of the rucksack.

Talisa studied the rows of kali sticks, discharger gloves and bolas on a nearby series of shelves. Her fingers brushed against one of the dormant discharge cores, probing the smooth curved surface. "I can see how they got the better of Republic City now." Yem continued to toss supplies into the rucksack. Talisa sighed. "Yem, don't do this."

The girl stopped rummaging, turning around and staring at her with hard grey eyes. "I must. They're the only people who can stop him. Not the Avatar, not you, no-one else but them." Yem turned away. "Its what he would want me to do."

"And that is how you're going to remember him? By working under a crazed madman?" He was my oldest son! And he damn well wouldn't you to go off and get yourself killed doing Hiroshi Sato's dirty work!" Talisa moved to grab the girl's wrist, only to have her shake it away.

Yem looked away from Talisa and narrowed her eyes. "Maybe I understand how he got that way, master... I can see why he hates benders so much."

In the silence of the room, Talisa couldn't help looking away from the intense young woman. Her thoughts churned and churned when Yem spoke up first, beating her to the punch. "Master. It's my choice."

"...And I have to honor that." Talisa whispered, knowing that to force the girl to stay was to force her own beliefs out of the window. She kept her hands by her side as Yem grunted under the weight of the rucksack in her arms. "... I can't promise that they won't ask why you've gone rogue, Yem."

"There's no need."

The girl's footsteps echoed in the brightly lit room as she reached for and opened a heavy metal door in the corner, greeted with the sound of softly flowing water in the tunnel ahead. She dropped her gaze to the floor. "Goodbye."

And she was gone.

In the loneliness of the brightly lit room, Talisa released a pent-up breath, gritting her teeth and hoping for the best. "I hope you're right Zuko." She sighed, apprehensive about the next part of his plan she would have a part in.

* * *

_Police Headquarters._

His wrists chafed against the heavy manacles, his back ached against the metal pole set right against the iron walls of the sparsely furnished square room. Every time he tried to tip his head back against the pole to at least rest his neck to get some shut-eye, it slipped and got him a headache as a reward.

The air in the room was stale, each time he breathed it in, his lungs ached a little.

At the sound of the door set in the corner of the room being opened, admitting a rush of quiet noise from the polished hallway outside, he lifted his head. He kept his eyes forward, on the reflective pane of glass taking up the entirety of the opposite wall, as the bald man's soft shoes made little to no noise on the smooth metal floor. He stopped near a simple chair set against a simple table, adjusting the dark grey buttons on his tunic for a moment before sliding the chair back and sitting on it.

With his elbows on the table and his hands laced together, Kao's green eyes stared through them at him.

Hooking a finger, he rested a hand on the table while he pointed at the boy with the other. He flicked his finger at the metal manacle fastened around the iron pole, snapping it free while the manacles on the other end of the short length kept the boy's hands bound behind his back. "Come. Sit."

Kao could sense the hatred from the boy as he approached the table, dropping into the chair facing him with the darkest look. "I thought the Dai Li were traditionalist."

"Oh, we are. We've learned to keep up with the times, though."

The room was silent after that.

The Director of the Dai Li directed a knowing glance at the reflective window behind him. "I have to say, I was in awe of that spectacular display the Avatar showed back there. Maybe a little impressed." With vigilant eyes he watched the boy for any kind of response. Not even clenched teeth. "Although I suppose it is expected of her whenever her friends are concerned... and those she is fond of."

Now the boy clenched his teeth, and his eyes narrowed. "You can't get to her through me."

The Director nodded, relaxed in his chair. "Does not hurt to try, though. And I am only following the laws of my homeland in detaining you." To his credit, Kao's eyes went hard and cold as he regarded the boy. "In the Earth Kingdom, if the master is responsible for a grievance but is absent, then his student must shoulder the burden of answering for his crimes."

In response the boy's mouth half-curled into a smirk with gritted teeth. "So that's it huh? You gonna do to me what you did to Ling?" If the Director was surprised he did well at not showing it. Tai chuckled quietly. Bitterly. "If there was one thing that I learned from training under that bastard, it was how to spot when someone's mind was being twisted like a _sponge_." He tilted his head. "I saw the same look on Wu and Pok as well."

"Ling Yao has simply returned to the fold. And whatever you think about those 'trusted' councilmen, they are in control of their faculties. How else could they preside over a public hearing? Mete out their own judgement and perspective? Hand you over to save their own skin?"

Tai's eyes narrowed, his sore muscles forgotten as he looked at the reflective mirror past Kao, seeing a haggard boy with sunken grey eyes, shaggy black hair, wearing a ripped and dirtied orange tunic and pants. He gritted his teeth, wondering what Tenzin would think of him. He closed his eyes for a few moments, unable to stop his thoughts from turning to what would happen to him. Was it really going to end for him this way? Used like a puppet? "You really think you can get away with this?"

"Yes. You are nothing but a tool. Shaped to serve whoever wields it. After all, it's what Telei trained you for, was it not?"

He smiled like a snake at the way the boy drew in a sharp breath. The chair's legs grinded against the floor as he stood up and calmly walked around the side, stopping next to the boy and looking down at him with a cool glance. "The Dai Li have had a eye on you for quite a while. It's in our interests to keep tabs on individuals with unique capabilities. I won't play pretend and say that I was responsible for every single event in your short life, or for the recent catastrophes that have struck this city. I will however say that we chose to take advantage of it. You want to hear it from me straight? We had nothing to do with the strange fate your village met, boy. But it served a purpose. Driving you out in the open."

His eyes widened. His bravado, no matter how small it was, faded to nothing. He blinked twice, filled with memories of fire and ash, screaming and pain, and golden eyes. The boy stared at the reflective mirror, paled.

Kao straightened and turned crisply to walk towards the door, hands resting comfortably behind his back. "If we can't have the Avatar, we will settle for the closest thing."

As he exited the room, Tai slowly made his way back towards the pole, steps echoing on the metal walls before sinking down the wall next to it and covering his face.

* * *

Lin had her teeth clenched, just watching the smug snake sitting inside _her_ interview room. The Dai Li guards stationed in the shadows of the room watched her intently from the sides and back, only fueling her desire to pound them into the dust.

She glanced at Tenzin, again seeing the frozen look on him as he stared through the window into the interview room, eyes completely focused on the worn down and utterly defeated looking boy being restrained against the wall again.

Her hands balled into fists at their circumstances. Next to her, Councilman Wu and Councilman Pok occasionally talked to one another, while on their opposite side, Saikhan stood, head barely held high, shoulders hardly straight as he glanced at her scathing looks. The intercom on the wall buzzed for a few seconds and Pok moved away from Wu to answer it, exchanging quiet words and nodding.

Behind them, off to the side and leaning back against a table sitting next to a locker, Korra had her arms folded and eyes down.

There was movement at the other side of the room. The door opened and Kao stepped through, hands clasped behind his back and eyes scanning the room. They fell on the Avatar just to the side for a few seconds, before sliding away as he moved past her and stopped next to Tenzin.

In the shadows of the room, Ling stood with his back on the wall behind all of them, blank brown eyes watching them all apart from the Director.

Korra couldn't help glancing across at him every once in a while, taken aback by how differently he was behaving. She felt a shiver crawl down her spine every time he looked at her.

Pok leaned forward to glance at the Director. "Are you satisfied, Secretary?"

"I am, Councilman. I have everything I need from him."

"The main tower has just reported the approach of the Earth King's airship." Saikhan said without looking at Kao, his eyes forward and teeth slightly gritted in a snarl.

"My thanks, Chief. And don't worry, all of this will be over soon. Now," Kao inclined his bald head to Wu and Pok, not even looking at Lin in the process. "I must go to my lord. My men will arrive shortly to escort the prisoner to the roof."

Turning his back to them he took a deep breath while he straightened out his travel-coat. "I trust I have the full co-operation of your men, Chief Saikhan? Commander Beifong?"

The metalbender gritted her teeth and folded her arms, uttering a little growl. Saikhan took a deep breath and nodded, glaring daggers at Wu and Pok for a moment before addressing Kao. "You do. Now get out of my station."

The Dai Li around the room moved slightly, their rock-gloved hands flexing slightly at the metalbending Chief.

Kao chuckled. "As you wish, Chief." he glanced at Tenzin. "You have deepest sympathies, councilman. You may speak to him if you wish or-"

Tenzin's eyes narrowed as he suddenly straightened his mantle. "Make no mistake, Kao. I will end you."

The Director's eyes narrowed.

Lin stared across at him, stricken that Tenzin of all people had just said that. but didn't move from where she stood.

"My apologies for my fellow Councilman's behavior, Secretary. These rather alarming series of events have taken a hard toll on Councilman Tenzin." Wu remarked.

The glare Lin leveled at the old man could have killed a Lion-Turtle.

He ignored her, while next to him Pok inclined his head. "If you may excuse us, secretary, we will head to the roof to welcome your King." Kao nodded his assent, and the two councilman made their way to the door, with Wu directing a sad glance at Tenzin. Pok followed him and the two of them waited for Kao to leave through the door first before following him out, with Chief Saikhan trailing behind them, the look of a caged bear on him.

In the silence that descended, Kao was the only one without a grim look. "If any of you wish to speak to the boy. Now would be the time."

Tenzin didn't say anything, still staring through the window at the boy with narrowed eyes. Lin stood by his side, arms folded and expression dark.

Behind them, the metal table groaned as Korra pushed off of it, stalking towards the open door with her hands balled into fists.

Kao smiled.

* * *

Tai lifted his head as the door to the room opened again, the loudness of it in the still and empty space piercing his ears. He made the mistake of making eye contact with her blue eyes.

He quickly cast his eyes on the floor he knelt on, feeling a rush of both apprehension, and relief, at her coming. On the peripheral of his vision she slowly moved into the room, hesitating each step before coming to the table, not venturing beyond its limit to his half of the room.

A part of him hoped she would stay there.

Another mistake when he shifted the wrong way, accidentally leaning forwards too much that the chains chafed his wrists and made his arms ache, and left a intense burning sensation to spread from his shoulder. He groaned at the sudden influx of pain and headaches, every ache in his muscles becoming known with it.

Her steps echoed on the cold metal floor as she approached, uncapping her hip flask as she knelt in front of him, a little distance between them as a stream of water slowly ebbed and bobbed its way out of her flask, flattening around her hands and pulsing with soft cool light.

Korra locked eyes with him as her hand near his shoulder.

Tai tried to shake his head, not wanting her help when the burning intensified. He gritted his teeth and nodded, using his other hand to work the thin fabric of his shirt from his shoulder. He couldn't fight the relieved breath he released as the water enveloped his shoulder, obscuring the inky black scar enough to almost make it seem like it was never there. Never a constant reminder.

He kept his hand on the fabric to keep it from slipping any further down his arm while he stared at a point in the room past her ear, unwilling to look at her while she guided the water with a look of concentration.

As the water soothed his aching muscles, lessened the burning sensation on his shoulder but not completely erasing it, he found his thoughts going elswhere, remembering the surging torrents at her command as she floated in the air above the street, the earth itself cracked and sundered by her presence, wind and fire billowing around her while golden light infused her eyes, her very being.

All this time and he still couldn't quite get how she seemed to be, even like that.

All because of him. Finally his eyes slid to hers, his whisper getting her attention. "I messed up." Now that he thought about it he had done a lot of messing up. Messed up against Amon. Messed up and nearly got himself killed chasing his brother. Even when he tried to something right for once he was simply not fast enough. Even after that was done and dusted, it only got worse with the Red Monsoons. And then with Telei.

And now here.

"I messed up."

Her hand movements faltered somewhat, but she kept going. She couldn't bring herself to even try to disagree with him. She gave a simple nod. "How does it feel?"

He froze, glancing at her before shaking his head. "Doesn't hurt as much."

The sheath of water covering her hand rippled as she moved it down his arm, prompting the boy to project a thin disc of spinning wind over his fingertips, and slice through the ragged threads barely keeping the sleeve attached to the shirt. He shrugged his arm free of the dirt-smeared and ruined orange fabric, letting it fall to the floor and showing the lines of bruising, the cuts, the grazes, the abrasions that marched up and down his arm, obscuring his wiry muscles.

Tai flexed and relaxed his fingers as she guided the water closer to his elbow, resting his arm on the floor as he found a sort of calm in himself. "But you know what? None of it matters anymore. I don't have to worry about anything now. Kind of freeing in a way."

She hid her concern beneath a mask, focusing on guiding the water.

"But I'm terrified, of what's going to happen to me." His lip trembled as he looked straight at her. "I-" He screwed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth, a pent-up breath escaping. "I've been terrified for a long time."

"Tai-"

"You know, every time I've seen you fight or stand up to something, there was never a look of fear on you. You never looked scared. Sometimes I wish I was the Avatar instead, you know? That way, maybe I wouldn't be so damned terrified of Telei. Or that it was my fault that Tarrin is gone."

Her eyes widened, but she still couldn't find anything more than a few words to say to him. The water receded from her hands, flowing back into her hip flask. She took her eye of him to screw the whale-tooth cap on before bowing her head with a grimace, hating to see him like this.

Suddenly a bitter, low chuckle escaped his lips, echoing in the empty metal room. He stared straight at her with a lopsided smile as he shook his head. "Can you believe that I'm scared of talking to my own mother too or even just trying to talk to you and Tenzin."

Finally, somehow she managed to say a single word. "Why?"

He looked at her with a awry glance. "You know why."

In that moment she suppressed her own worries and problems, about the spirits, about the city, about the Triads, about Telei, about Tai himself. She picked up his limp hand, squeezing it for a few seconds before wrapping her arms around him. The boy tipped his head forwards, eyes beginning to glisten as he rested his cheek on her strong shoulder.

"I'm so _sorry_." he breathed, words more noises than actual words.

A muffled thud sounded in the room, coming from above. He lifted his head and looked upwards, breathing heavily.

The door to the room opened, and four agents cautiously approached the Avatar and her friend. They waited as she directed a dark glare at them over her shoulder, before slowly bringing Tai to his feet, holding onto his hand for as long as possible.

She felt surprise when she saw the calm expression on him as he gently dropped her hand. He took a deep breath, his eyes on her the entire time. "Goodbye."

He moved towards the group of agents, each of whom took up positions around him and led him towards the open door.

Her head bowed she lingered in the room, staring down at her hand before suddenly clenching it and slamming it into the metal wall nearby, leaving a gnarled dent and shaking the building. Korra clenched her teeth.

* * *

"The Earth Kingdom thanks you for your cooperation."

Tenzin barely registered Kao's honeyed words as he left the observation room. Out of the corner of his eye Tenzin watched Ling follow him and his other agents out of the room, to meet the group of four escorting his student out of the room on the other side of the mirror and into the hallway.

It took him a couple of seconds for his feet to even start walking. It took Lin placing a hand on his shoulder to stir him back to grim reality, to actually move out into the hallway, and watch the group of black and green file down the cleared corridor towards the reception desk. He tried to look for his student in the middle of them, but couldn't see him.

Korra appeared ahead of them, hands clenched into fists as she watched them go. Tenzin suppressed his own confusion and inaction, moving to her side. The glance he saw made him bow his head. Behind them, Lin grimaced as she followed the two of them down the corridor after the Dai Li, the very idea of letting this happen disgusting her.

Ling shook her head with a growl as they came to the reception desk, she saw that the receptionists had retreated from it at the sight of the Dai Li, whispering to each other only to steady themselves when they saw her.

Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Bolin and Asami sitting on the long benches, Pabu chittering from the recesses of his collar, with Sensha and Boto leaning against a nearby wall. All of them staring daggers at the Dai Li standing post in the shadows of the room and leading Tai to the elevator.

A pair of metalbending officers stood post in front of the entrance to the station, glancing nervously at each other at the muffled shouts and roars coming from outside, intermixed with barking.

At the intersection of corridors, one leading past the side of the reception desk to the main elevator and another continuing to a series of similar interview rooms, the Dai Li group stopped for a few seconds, being waved past grudgingly by a metalbender. Kao led them towards the waiting elevator, its doors fully opened to admit all of them.

On one of the corridor's walls, near the stairs on either side, Mako was there, his arms folded as he silently watched the Dai Li march past. His golden eyes flicked up to meet Korra's as she stopped near the desk, and for a moment they weren't filled with accusation, or disappointment or frustration. Just sympathy.

Tenzin and Lin exchanged glances as they moved towards the elevator, Korra joining them as they came to a stop.

Kao glanced at the three of them as he stood at the head of the congregation in the elevator, a smirk on as the doors closed.

* * *

The doors opened. "Come on." Tenzin strode out first onto the sun dappled floor, Lin followed him next and behind them Korra came out last.

She didn't register the shimmering brilliance of the setting sun as it's rays dashed themselves against the huge glass door ahead, scattered through the circular iron patterns working as a framework for the glass. On the other side she caught a glimpse of a balcony, looking out on the towering apartments and stores surrounding Police Headquarters.

Korra's view of the sight disappeared as she rounded followed Tenzin and Lin around the side of the wall enclosing the elevator, being greeted with a utterly cavernous space that dwarfed any other room she had ever been in her entire life, the only real challenger being the secret workshop underneath the Sato Estate, reachable by secret tunnel.

She shook the stray thought away as she caught up to Tenzin and Lin, their pace quick as they reached the center of the hall up where a pair of huge doors stood on either side. The one to their left was shut completely, but the opposite was opened up to a view of soft clouds floating in the orange sky.

A square and bulky landing platform waited them on the other side, and as they drew closer, the Dai Li agents standing guard raised their rock fists in warning. They came to a stop, Korra breathing heavily as she readied herself for a fight, while Lin did the same. However the agents backed down at a unseen gesture from behind them, and moved out of the way.

Korra, Lin and Tenzin eyed them cautiously as they moved forwards, reaching the thin railing surrounding the landing area. Wu and Pok were nearby, glancing at the new arrivals.

Before Korra could approach the square of black and green obscuring Tai, Tenzin gently laid a hand on her shoulder. The little gesture shouldn't have stopped her so easily, but it did, and she hated herself for it as she glanced upwards, seeing a bulky unwieldy shape descending towards them like a flying brick. She saw the symbols of the Earth Kingdom emblazoned on it's cylindrical fuselage, and the green and brown tones and the rock-throwers mounted on pontoons on each corner gave it away.

The entire building rumbled as it touched down on the far end of the platform on stocky landing struts. She glanced nervously at Tenzin, losing it just standing there and doing nothing. Lin had the exact same trouble.

Before she could do anything Kao led the procession forward, striding ahead of it onto the platform as a ramp opened from the waiting airship's loading bay. Even from the far end of the platform she could spot the Earth King's massive stature and bulk, dressed in opulent green and brown robes that did little conceal his boulder-sized muscles. Her eyes settled on the huge length of sharpened green crystal on his back, shimmering with fiery gleam in the setting sun's light.

He stopped at the base of the ramp, followed by multitudes of armored earthbending soldiers, standing guard behind him while Kao stopped the procession and made his way across the breadth of the platform, Ling the only one still following.

She watched as Kao went to bow, Ling doing the same, only for the Earth King to thunder past them towards the Dai Li procession. The agents immediately parted at his coming, exposing the boy to the King.

Korra took a step forward as his tree trunk of a arm shot forward, chunky fingers wrapping around Tai's neck and lifting him off his feet. She couldn't take it anymore, ignoring Wu and Pok and leaving a frozen Tenzin behind she vaulted over the railing, running full pelt across the platform, murder in her eyes.

"Korra!" She didn't even slow at the sound of Lin's shout as the Dai Li blocked her path to the giant brute clutching her friend in his grip, surprised a little that a full flame had ignited in her hand without any problems. The bald man directed a glare in her direction, stealing a glance at the impossibly small looking boy just hanging limp in his hold. "The airbender pays the price for Shizu, Avatar. Do not interfere."

But she had already stopped listening, even as the Earth King turned away from her, dropping the boy to the ground in time for the Dai Li to move towards him, she already made her decision.

Golden light began to obscure her vision when a rising hum filled her ears, hindering her attempts to go into the Avatar State. Her thoughts slowed a little, but she paid it no mind as she focused on her goal, taking advantage of the strange behavior taking over the agents in her path. She didn't even need to fight them as they collapsed on their own, leaving only the Earth King standing in her way.

The large man's teeth were gritted as he shook his head, focusing on the boy scrambling on the ground before him. He took a step forward, almost reaching a hand up to the deadly length of crystal on his back when something stopped him cold.

Korra's eyes widened as she caught sight of the imposing hooded figure standing behind him, silvery blade extended with the tip resting on the back of his broad neck. The depths of the hood hid their features, but Korra knew exactly who that was. The figure lifted a hand and blasted the Earth King off his feet with a single pulse of wind, twisting around him and rushing forward, grabbing the stunned boy and leaping off the side of the platform.

Her head pounded, and she felt like throwing up as she stumbled to the edge, breathing heavily as she peered over her shoulder and noticed that Tenzin and Lin and the two councilmen had the same problem.

Korra took a step back from the edge as her vision fluttered, and she dropped to one knee, before collapsing completely as the sound heightened to a shrill continuous tone.

* * *

The last thing he felt was wind buffeting him from every angle. Slowly he opened his eyes, realizing that his back was against a wall, and he was on the ground, or to be more accurate, the loading bay of the ship that would take him-

A breeze blew across his face, waking him up to the fact that he wasn't inside some dark airship. Or even on that landing pad. He looked up at the brilliant stars hanging overhead, realizing this was at least the first time he had seen them in full for a long time.

"I'm so _sorry_. It - it was the only way to get you to safety and-"

He blinked twice, hearing the harried tones of a woman rather than his worst nightmare. Tai glanced at the hooded figure to his side, going to put as much distance between them as possible only to see his mother's apologetic face looking at him as she pulled the thick hood down, her long brown hair freed of their confines. Talisa bowed her head. "I'm sorry for doing that."

His eyes fell on the worn black scabbard she held by her side, resting the tip down on the concrete of the rooftop. Tai slowly took his eyes off of her and looked around, unable to see Police Headquarters past the throngs of apartments, businesses and penthouses rising around them. "How long?"

"Uh, a few hours. You were out for a while."

Tai nodded, feeling a chill go up his bare arms. He rubbed some warmth into them, as his mother paced back and forth, hands nervously tapping the scabbard behind her back. "I used the airbending Telei taught me when I was younger. And, I had to look the part as well to complete the distraction. No-one was hurt. So don't worry about that." After again hearing about a part of his mother he never had known before he dumbly nodded. While he couldn't care less about the Dai Li and the Earth King, he did care about Tenzin and Lin, Korra and Ling as well. "Zuko kinda came up with the idea."

"Zuko?"

Talisa stopped, and nodded, going quiet as the old man himself appeared from the shadowed recesses of the roof, a grim look on his wizened features. "Republic City will not be safe for you with the Dai Li watching every corner."

Zuko stopped in front of the boy, looking down at him. "I'll be leaving for the Fire Nation very soon. My plan is to take you with me." The old man paused, his scarred side showing fully. "It will be difficult for you."

Tai shook his head. "No way I'm leaving! Tenzin and his family will be their first targets - they'll be scouring the city for me! They'll go the island, they'll hurt the kids and, and Rohan and-""

"This was mostly Tenzin's idea!"

He shut his mouth, frozen as Talisa held his gaze.

Zuko bowed his head. "No. They won't."

The quiet, final way in which he said this made Tai's blood rise a little, at the same time sending shivers down his spine. His hands relaxed by themselves as the anger left him, leaving a sinking feeling in his stomach that was too great to ignore. Slowly, he glanced between the two of them, his voice going to almost a whisper. "What do you mean?"

"Tenzin... has taken your place."

His eyes widened, and the pit in his stomach widened to a all-encompassing maw.

* * *

火


	12. The Striking Match, the Fiery Path

**A/N**

Okay, that might have _seemed_ like it was 10 days+, but you were just imagining it. Sorry for the wait, I kind of took the opportunity to go back and add in some things I was really meaning to get onto, mainly small bits and pieces about Sensha and Boto to make things a little clearer with them.

But I also made a fairly big change. After watching the absolutely fantastic past few episodes, I had to do something involving a little bit of conflict between Tonraq and Unalaq, and revamped the appearance of the glacier to match the canon version. Mainly because I feel it just reads much better that way. So those are the new additions, and here's the new chapter. Sorry for the wait on this one, but this is where the rest of the story kicks off from.

As always. Please criticize, and maybe don't forget to review. :)

* * *

火

* * *

_Police Headquarters._

His eyes were closed, his thoughts slowly circulating, bringing a calm still to his mind and stopping him from remembering his dark and cramped surroundings. Tenzin focused on his breathing rhythm and keeping his muscles loose, both to enhance his meditation and alleviate his aching joints. Kneeling on the floor stopped his knees from complaining too much, and didn't strain his arms.

The metal door to the room slid open with a loud grind, bringing with it a composed and collected series of footsteps echoing on the sheer metal floor. The guards on either side of him moved out of the shadows to greet Kao, bowing with a fist over their heart.

A gesture from Kao and they left the room to stand post in the hallway.

"Comfortable?"

Tenzin didn't humor him, keeping his eyes closed and focusing on his breathing, how dad taught him.

Kao took another step in, hands clasped, looking around the dark room. "This room is a hundred meters underground." Another step and he was in front of Tenzin, looking down at him with a tilted head. "After that drama on the airship platform, my lord is displeased. He's on his way back to the Earth Kingdom, and the Earth Queen is demanding justice for this slight."

"You arrested Tai on false charges and snuck into Republic City. I don't call that a slight." Tenzin glared up at the Dai Li Director with his eyes narrowed.

"It is well within our bounds to arrest those who would harm the Earth Kingdom, no matter where they hide." Kao remarked.

"Touch him and you answer to me, Kao."

"But as you said he is innocent. Still orders are orders and I was forced to take action. Sorry for stepping on your toes. But it seems we have a dilemma. You've secured his release by offering yourself instead. Heroics are not customary for a master airbender." Kao tapped his chin for a few seconds. "Was it just to protect him? Or your family too?"

Kao's lip curled in a little smirk. "In any case, it seems you'll be here for a while."

"I know how the Dai Li work. You would have me at Lake Laogai by now. But something's wrong isn't it?" He kept on a neutral mask as Kao paced back and forth a little, watching him the entire time.

"Its a interesting setback. Beifong and her metalbenders have grounded all air traffic coming in and out of the city." Kao sighed. "And it would be unwise of me to start a world war just because the Earth Kingdom deserves justice to be dealt. You're Aang's son and a very popular man in the United Republic. With non-benders as well, strangely enough. But I have the cooperation of your fellow councilmen."

Tenzin shook his head. "Bumi and Kya would never-"

"Your older siblings have quit the city council in protest over this little act. As the only councilmen still functioning, Wu and Pok have instated themselves as temporary Administrators of Republic City. I'd almost say there is no council at this point. Most disturbing."

Tenzin's eyes narrowed. Without Bumi and Kya in the council, Wu and Pok could do anything they want as heads of the City. He watched Kao with a dark look. "You planned this."

"Made a few deals, secured some finances for a few willing friends of the Earth Kingdom. Yes. I planned this. And make no mistake about your friends trying to spirit you out of this cell, if Beifong or the Avatar take any action against me the Earth Kingdom will respond in force. Republic City is standing on our soil, after all. So get comfortable. We will be watching."

The manacles on Tenzin's wrists snapped free and clattered to the floor, getting a relieved grunt out of him as his arms dropped. He rubbed his wrists and leveled a suspicious look at the thin man.

"You're a Air Nomad. You'll respect the law."

Kao turned on his heel, raising his hand to rap a knuckle on the door once, before glancing over his shoulder. "Oh, you have a visitor."

Tenzin kept his chin up as he watched the sliding door slide open, heart sinking a little at the stony expression on Korra's face.

The Dai Li director stepped back and bowed to her. "Lady Avatar." he said, before leaving the room.

* * *

In the stillness of the room, and with the Dai Li guards momentarily gone, Tenzin smiled up at her, and she managed one back.

Korra's steps echoed on the metal floor as she wringed her hands, looking away from her mentor and at the floor and the walls. She stopped after a few listless seconds and crouched down in front of him. "I can free you, and then-"

He shook his head. "If you do, a lot of people will get hurt. I'm fine, Korra."

She breathed a shaky sigh of frustration as he clasped his hands in front of him and took a deep breath. It made her feel a little better to see him unharmed, but just being in the room made her want to get out there and smack the Dai Li around until they left the city. "You gave yourself up for him, Tenzin."

"I did. He's family to me, just like you are."

"But - why? What am I going to do? I can't go up against the entire Earth Kingdom on my own as much as I want to!"

"You don't have to."

"I feel so useless." she murmured, clutching her arm for a small measure of comfort as she straightened again, wondering, trying, to figure out some way of fixing this whole situation. And the same time doing something about the spirits in the south as well.

"Korra. Look at me."

Slowly she did, staying still for a few seconds before she knelt down in front of him again, eyes darting away for a few seconds before she bowed her head and tipped forward, resting her forehead on his steady chest. She wrapped her arms around his sides, a wetness starting to show in her eyes.

Tenzin couldn't help recalling her doing the same thing after facing Amon under Aang's statue. Tenzin slowly lower his chin to look at her, the point of his salt-and-black beard resting on her hair a little as he placed his hands on her shoulders, before bringing her in close and stroking her hair. "It's alright."

Her teacher still had a gentle look on him even in the dark stillness of the cell. "You need to stay strong. For everyone."

Korra couldn't bring herself to say anything. Instead she silently nodded, blinking her tears away.

The door to the room slid open and she glanced over her shoulder, falling quiet and shuffling away from Tenzin a little.

He couldn't meet his student's eyes as he walked in, only taking in the ripped and shredded state of his clothes, the dirtied and muddied orange and reds on his robes, and the half-listless steps he took coming in. Slowly he came to a stop, eyes on his feet and hands clenched.

"Why did you do it?" Tai looked up, voice hoarse as he stared at his mentor in chains.

Korra had her eyes on the floor as the boy took a few steps forward, before stopping with a sharp clack on the metal floor. She grimaced at the look in his eyes, able to recall what he said while she was lost in the glow of the Avatar State.

"Because I had to." Tenzin said, his words strangely stern and gentle at the same time.

Tai gritted his teeth in annoyance. "What about Pema! Your wife, your kids! Why?!"

"You're part of my family, Tai."

He fought against the stupid wetness in his eyes as he screwed them shut, feeling his blood rising. "I'm not, you damn idiot! I'm not part of anything! I'm not worth it! You-" he growled and balled his hand into a fist. He noticed how quiet Korra was and glanced at her. He shook his head, ridding any thoughts involving her and turning back to Tenzin, his eyes softening, anger staying. "-you should have let them take me." he murmured.

Tenzin's eyes softened. Korra's froze.

"Listen to me. Right now, the Earth Kingdom is thinking of taking action against Republic City, and if that happens the rest of the nations will be dragged into the conflict. My father built this city for a reason, and we need to protect that at all costs."

"A war?" Korra asked, blood going cold at the thought.

"Possibly..." he trailed off, sighing as he glanced up at the two of them. "Its part of why I took your place."

"What?"

"Lin doesn't like it, and when I tell Pema she'll kill me, but every moment I'm in this cell gives the rest of you time to stop this situation from spiraling out of control." Tenzin focused on Tai. "We'll get through this, we just need to-"

"Save it." Tai narrowed his eyes at his master for a few seconds, leveling a look at Korra before turning and heading out of the dark cell.

She watched him go, before slowly turning to Tenzin.

He bowed his head. "I knew he wouldn't understand."

Finding a little frustration, Korra narrowed her eyes. "And you think I would?" she murmured. Korra clenched her jaw. "You're taking a massive risk."

"I know."

Korra's shoulders dropped as she sighed explosively and rubbed her face. "Well... what do we do?"

"Zuko is going back to the Fire Nation and I believe Wu intends to as well. You need to go with him, find something that can convict Wu and convince the Earth Kingdom that Telei was responsible for kidnapping Shizu. We need to convince them that Telei is a threat to everyone."

* * *

_Air Temple Island._

The sunset filled every cloud with a fiery light and lit up the sky in dazzling displays of gold and oranges, lending the appearance of a huge and majestic firestorm filling the sky with every facet of its warmth. Below the waters of the bay picked up on the dazzling display, growing a soft pinkish tone.

Lin grumbled over her shoulder at the beautiful sight, knowing for sure that the spirits were trying their hardest to piss her off, especially at a time like this. In her arms Rohan poked and prodded her smooth metal bracers, gurgling as he grinned up at Lin. She sighed and looked down at him for a few moments, letting him bend her pinky finger back and forth for entertainment. "At least you're simple enough." she murmured.

He laughed and wrenched her pinky back in response, bringing a surprised grunt out of the woman. With a strained smile she shook her pinky free of Rohan's pudgy fingers, shaking out her hand as the wind picked up on the balcony.

"Ah, there you are."

At Kya's voice Lin looked away from Rohan and at the waterbender as she came to a stop on the balcony, her arms folded with a little teasing smirk directed at the metalbender holding her nephew in her arms. "Thought you weren't the family type?"

Lin rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Just not my own. I'm fine with Tenzin's."

"Where's Pema?"

"Getting ready to visit Tenzin."

Kya fell quiet, giving a single nod. She sighed and rubbed her temples as she leaned on the railing, chin resting on her arms. For a few seconds she stared out at the sparkling water with a morose expression, before glancing at Rohan and blowing a raspberry to make him laugh.

"So you and Bumi quit the council?"

The waterbender nodded. "Yup. Not really used to making big decision anyway. Never really liked them." Kya blew a grey bang out of her eyes and went back to staring at the water, until she clenched her jaw and glanced at Lin again. "How's little brother doing?"

"They haven't done anything to hurt him. He's safe for now." Her eyes narrowed as she caught sight of police headquarters sitting squat across the bay in the midst of the central borough. Tenzin was tough, despite all evidence to the contrary, she knew he would be fine there. Probably get in some meditation or something.

Kya's shoulders visibly relaxed as she closed her eyes and breathed a sigh. "Good." Kya turned away from Lin for a second, spotting someone moving in the corridors of the house.

"Hey, Jin."

Lin raised a eyebrow and peered over her shoulder. Jinora stood in the doorway, clutching a book of hers. The girl moved forwards and stood inbetween them without a word, staring at the sky as well. Lin jerked her chin at the heavy brown book Jinora clutched in her arms. "What's the name?"

Jinora rubbed a hand up and down the heavily worn facing, feeling how rough the weathered leather was. She glanced up at the implacable woman. "One of grandpa's journals."

Kya frowned for a moment. "From Tenzin's study?"

Lin stiffened, nodding as she adjusted her hold on Rohan. "Anything interesting?"

"I'm reading about the Dai Li."

"In dad's journals?" Kya asked, squatting down next to her.

For a moment Lin thought she didn't hear the girl correctly. She glanced down at her. "What? Jinora-"

"If there's a way to beat them or something, then I'll find out. Then dad will be free. Everyone will be okay." Jinora murmured, still staring at the book cover. "I can help Korra."

"You don't have to help. We're doing the best we can-" Lin shut herself up, not able to bring herself to lie right to Jinora's face. The oldest of Tenzin's children held her gaze admirably, only giving a little at the last moment. She bowed her head and placed the book in Kya's hands.

"Sorry, I just want to see dad."

Kya shared a concerned look with Lin. She placed the book on the balcony deck before holding the girl's hands. "We all do, honey."

Lin looked away from Jinora, feeling more and more guilty by the second. She gritted her teeth, frustrated that there was _absolutely_ nothing she could do to free him, to get them out of this situation.

Behind them, Pema patiently waited on the balcony, chin tucked in and quiet as a mouse. Lin only noticed her when Jinora did. Rohan happily giggled at the sight of his mother, and Lin turned from the railing, bringing him over to her.

Pema had her eyes on the floor, looking up with a start to see her child holding his hands out to her, grabbing at the air. She put on a smile and took him from Lin, hefting him on her shoulder as she saw Jinora being comforted by Kya.

She smiled at Kya before looking to Lin. "When can we see him?" she quietly asked.

"Anytime you wish, Pema."

The woman nodded stiffly, noticing the book on the deck near Jinora. "What's that honey?"

Jinora sniffed and rubbed her eyes, slowly moving away from her aunt and picking up the book, dusting it off and going to her. "One of grandpa's books."

"Okay. Wanna come with me and put it back in your dad's study?"

The little girl cautiously nodded, holding onto her mother's freehand and carrying the book with the other as Pema turned and led her back into the house, leaving Kya and Lin on the balcony.

Kya straightened, dusting her palms and crossing her arms with a frustrated sigh, staring daggers out at the city across the bay. "We need to fix this."

Lin nodded. "Yeah." she murmured, catching sight of Korra coming up the steps to the front of the manor below.

* * *

Korra's thoughts whirled as she tried to get a sense of herself in the dark space. Taking a deep breath she rolled her shoulders, clasped her hands together and shuffled a little, trying again.

Steeling herself again, Korra again took another breath, keeping her thoughts steady as she rounded the corridor's corner, only to end up standing there with a frozen look on her. Pema blinked twice at the sight of her while Jinora closed her book with a growing grin.

"We're so glad you're safe!" Pema straightened, letting Jinora take over with feeding Rohan. She hurried over, hugging the stunned girl.

She returned it, vaguely realizing she hadn't been on the island since a couple days ago. "Hey." Korra mumbled, half-wishing she hadn't run into them.

Pema leaned back, her hands on the girl's shoulders as she frowned at the somber look she held. "Is everything alright?"

Ikki impatiently moved around Korra and Pema, wondering what was going on.

Korra's eyes flicked up from the floor as she sighed and nodded with a weak smile. "Is Naga still in my room?"

"Well, yeah. She hasn't left. Gotten a bit rowdy but she'll be glad to see you. Why, what's up?" The woman waited for her response with a slight look of concern.

Just as Korra was about to speak Jinora came over with Rohan on her shoulder, looking up at her with a curious expression.

Any longer and she wouldn't be able to say anything. She looked at all of them in turn. "I'll be leaving the city for a while, guys. To help Tenzin."

"No fair! You're my big sister! Bigger sister!" Ikki added with a glance at Jinora.

"I'm sorry, Ikki. It won't be forever."

Ikki's lip trembled as she stomped forwards and wrapped herself around Korra's shin, shaking her head. "No!"

"Sorry." Korra murmured, not knowing what else she could say.

Pema grimaced. "Where are you going?"

A few seconds passed before she replied. "The Fire Nation."

"And Tai? Is he alright? We haven't heard from him, he hasn't been back here for days... he's leaving as well isn't he?"

Korra nodded. "Yeah."

"Good luck, honey." Pema smiled at her, before looking down at Jinora. "Stay safe." She suddenly smirked. "-At least, don't get hurt."

She chuckled quietly, before fidgeting for a bit and taking a deep breath. "Hey, Pema? Can you send a letter to the South Pole? Just so my parents know?"

"Of course I can."

Taking a deep breath, Korra glanced down her leg at Ikki, rubbing the top of her head to get her attention. The little girl made a noise and unwrapped herself from Korra's shin, turning her nose and crossing her arms, her face scrunched up in anger. After a few seconds she relented, sniffing as Korra squatted down and gave her a hug. Pema and Jinora did the same, with Korra wishing she didn't have to leave them like this.

But Tenzin needed her help.

After a while spent like that Pema straightened, giving Korra a smile before instructing Jinora to hold Ikki's hand. "Why don't we get your brother in the bath, you two? Then we'll go and visit dad."

Jinora didn't budge for a few moments as she looked up at Korra, before nodding and following Pema out the other door to the living room with Ikki in tow.

As they left Korra's shoulders dropped and her hands tightened. "See you later, guys." she murmured.

* * *

Behind her Naga crooned as they reached the railing overlooking the ramp winding its way down the cliff to the beach and pier below, with Korra glancing up at the dark sky to find that hardly any stars shone through the thick clouds.

A howling drifted out of the cluster of blue-roofed buildings they had just left from, nestled against and around the soaring white tower at the island's focal point, its thick profile almost lost in the total darkness of midnight.

Naga's ears poked up at the eerie noise and she whined in response as Korra led her away from the railing and towards the beginning of the ramp, at the bottom of which Zuko calmly waited.

"Avatar."

Korra turned at the sound of someone walking across the raked stone and lawn. Talisa came to a stop, a hesitant look surfacing on her as soon as Korra had turned to look at her with a sharp glance. The woman bowed her head and came closer, and Korra spotted the worn down sheath she held onto and the rough black leather of the handle poking out of one end. "What do you want?"

Talisa stopped a moment at Korra's hostile tone, grimacing before nodding to herself and looking back up. "I know he won't accept any help from me... but it might be different with you. You're his friend, right?"

Korra slowly nodded.

"Can you protect him?"

Her eyes fell on the sheath. She clenched her jaw and grabbed it from Talisa with a grunt, moving to tie it onto Naga's saddle. She busied herself with making sure it was secure in its place resting against the saddlebags, before giving a curt nod to the woman. "I will."

Without another word Talisa bowed her head and walked away.

Naga watched her go. Korra grabbed the polar-bear dogs reins and led her down the ramp at a brisk pace, each time glancing up at the glittering city across the dark waters. She shook the sight away as she reached the bottom, coming out on the path from the ramp to the pier.

Zuko waited for her up ahead, his expression guarded. "Just waiting for you, Korra."

He turned and led the way down the pier towards where the Air Disciple's junker was tied into place at the far end, he had his hands behind his back as he stared out at the cityscape. "Are you prepared to do this?"

Korra immediately nodded, stuffing down her own worries about leaving the city with the Dai Li present and the triads still running about. Not to mention her own nervousness about what she might be facing in the Fire Nation. "I'm prepared."

The old man inclined his head, his scarred side showing for a brief moment as they approached the ship, passing its slooped bow towards the gangplank. Korra blinked twice at the man patiently waiting for them. "General Iroh? You're coming with us?"

The proud firebender nodded, ignoring a elbow in the ribs from Zuko. "I need to speak with my mother on Asami's behalf."

Iroh nodded to her and made his way up the gangplank laid by the monks onto the junker's deck she turned to Zuko. "Where's Tai?"

He glanced upwards at the sound of rushing wind, catching sight of the tail end of a glider touching down on the roof of the cabin on the junker. "I believe he's already onboard. Are you ready to go?"

"As I'll ever be."

Zuko jerked his chin at her and then at a point over his shoulder. "Might want to hold that thought." She blinked and looked to where the pier connected to the ramp leading up to the rest of the island, catching sight of a familiar firebender quietly making his way towards them where the Air Disciple junker was docked. "I'll wait for you."

She answered with a grimace, not really relishing the thought of holding a conversation with the firebending boy as she took a steadying breath and turned from the junker as Zuko stood near the gangplank. Clenching and unclenching her hands as she started walking she hoped he wasn't in talking mood.

But Mako stopped as soon as he saw her, his expression guarded but relatively calm as he looked at her. He had his hands in his pockets, his nose buried a little in the folds of the crimson scarf around his neck. "Hey."

"Hey. Beifong told me that you were leaving."

Korra found it took her a little longer than she liked to answer him. She didn't look at him. "Don't know for how long."

"Right." Mako coughed and scratched the back of his neck, looking upwards for a few seconds with a uncomfortable expression. "Look... I was really hard on you for something you couldn't control. I just came to tell you where... _we_ stand." His eyes slowly went back to hers, holding none of that dark fiery glint she had seen previously or even a hint of anger or frustration. Just guilt.

"I know I didn't overreact. I still think you should have told him to stay back at the compound where those spirits wouldn't be... But, I know that what he did was something really brave and noble. I guess-" he heaved a sigh and shook his head, folding his arms. "- I don't know. I guess I'm just trying to get used to the fact that Bolin is getting pretty good at taking care of himself." He closed his eyes and nodded, opening them with a apologetic smirk. "I shouldn't have gone off at you like that because of his own choice. It was unfair of me to be so hard on you. I'm sorry."

She wasn't sure that he completely agreed with himself, but she nodded anyway. "Thank you." A instinct to hug him kicked in, but Korra stopped herself from doing so, knowing it wouldn't be right for both of them. She wasn't sure what to think about the relationship between them. He extended his hand, and Korra gladly took it.

"Stay safe, Korra."

Korra settled for a quick nod.

* * *

_Sato Estate._

Pabu chittered, lifting his nose to sniff at the air in the plus bedroom. He stretched, shaking out his fur and half-slid and half-fell down the side of Bolin's chest as it slowly rose up and down to the pattern of the earthbender's light snores.

The Fire-Ferret recovered and stood still on the deep crimson of the vast quilt that managed to cover the sprawling bed without trouble. He caught a glint of green in the darkness behind the high-rise windows on the other side of the room. Pabu tilted his head and made his way to the edge of the luxurious mattress, carefully sliding down the quilt's surface to where it spilled onto the cold marble floor.

Making his way across the huge empty distance he quickly clambered up the small desk table resting just under the windowsill, worming in between a vase of wildflowers and a pro-bending helmet with a green stripe on its crown to hop up and peer into the dark.

As soon as Pabu did a keening and eerie meow sounded in the dead of night, accompanied by a cat-faced bird with intense green eyes, staring at the Fire Ferret with something approaching a wicked smile.

Squeaking in alarm the Fire-Ferret scrambled backwards, knocking into the vase and tumbling into the helmet as it rolled off the table and onto the floor with a loud clatter.

Bolin woke with a start, looking for him. "Pa-" he found him, and managed to resist a yawn as he rubbed at his eyes. He clambered his way across the warm surface of the quilt, trying his best not to drop down and stay there in absolute comfort that he used to dream about. "Buddy."

He grumbled as he slid off the bed and moved across the floor, wincing at the cold spikes going up his bare feet. He rolled his shoulders with a sigh as he bent down, picking up the helmet and giving the ball of disheveled red fur wedged inside a grudging look.

"What are you doing? I'm trying to get some sleep, okay?"

With a sigh Bolin pulled him out of there and made his way to the bedroom's bathroom. "Might as well." he muttered, grabbing his tooth brush and keeping Pabu in his shoulder. At that moment voices echoed on the marble flooring from a gap in the hallway door. He raised a eyebrow, sharing a look he thought Pabu returned as he padded over to the rich and sturdy oak door, slowly gripping its edge and pulling it further ajar.

The voices came in clearer this time, and he frowned. "Asami?" he whispered to himself. Sharing another look with Pabu he nodded and left the room behind, only stopping for a moment to remember the utterly messy state his hair was in, and the fact he was dressed in a tanktop polka dot boxer shorts.

Making his way out into the dark hallway, he felt a shiver down his back at how empty the mansion felt, remembering those ghost stories he really didn't like Mako telling him as kids.

Bolin nervously glanced at the portraits on the walls, not really feeling the beautiful vistas and breathtaking art styles on display in his creepy and dark surroundings. He came out to the second level of the main hall, standing at the junction where the hallway continued down his side of the massive room to a a series of closed doors, and branching off to the side to connect to the opposite end, the wall it run in front of only having a pair of double doors on it.

He carefully made his way down it, passing a huge flight of stairs on the way and going past the locked double doors, following the voices that floated to him from the other end.

Making it he rounded the bend, coming onto a hallway like the one he had just left. This time one of the doors midway down the corridor was slightly open, light spilling out on the floor through the gap.

Pabu tilted his head in curiousity on Bolin's shoulder. The boy petted him as he approached, pressing his back to the wall and slowly sidling towards the doorframe.

He raised a eyebrow when he heard Lin talk. Then Kya say something in response, with Bumi agreeing.

At that moment Bolin's hand slipped from where he was gripping the doorframe, Pabu squeaked as the earthbender stumbled through the doorway to steady himself, looking up with a smile at all of them. "Heh."

"Hey, bro." From the other side of Asami's huge desk, Mako shook his head with a little smirk. "Good to see you're up."

Lin loosed a exasperated sigh from her position leaning over the desk, with Asami blinking at him with a surprised look. Bumi sniggered from where he sat on a couch close to the door, while Kya rolled her eyes at him. Boto leaned over from where he leaned against the doorframe and quietly chuckled.

Looking at everyone gathered in the room in turn he came to a single conclusion. "I'm interrupting something, aren't I?" Varrick appeared out of nowhere.

"Love the boxers! Get in here!" the eccentric magnate hissed, smirking at Bolin's yelp and closing the door behind him with a sneaky expression.

Varrick immediately spied the plate of kale cookies on the coffee table in front of Bumi's couch, diving towards them with a brief look of challenge at the non-bender. Lin rolled her eyes at the display between the young man and the old idiot. "We just started."

"Okey dokey, now that everyone's here can we start putting all of this together?" Kya glanced at Bumi, swiping the kale cookie he just liberated from Varrick and taking a bite out of it with a smirk at him.

Bolin couldn't help watching Asami carefully, dressed in a thin crimson bedrobe with her hair cascading over her shoulders.

Asami nodded. "I think we can." Giving a quick smile at Bolin that made him squeak before she turned her attention to the rest of them. A sober look came onto her. "We need to do something about the Dai Li. Councilman Wu and Pok are definitely involved with them in some way."

"Seeing as how they kinda disappeared during the kid's trial as soon as they showed up, yes." Boto replied.

"Sooo... question. Why aren't we having this big secret stuff in that big secret factory under your house?"

Lin answered him. "You're a earthbender, Bolin. The Dai Li most likely have most of the city's underground mapped out through their earthbending."

"Oh."

"We need to find evidence on Wu and Pok being connected to the Triads, and evidence that Tai didn't kidnap Shizu, and Tenzin will be released. We can overturn their decision on the trial and get them discharged from the council."

"There isn't much of one anymore." Kya murmured, getting a nod from Bumi.

Boto glanced at her, and inclined his head in agreement.

"And the Dai Li will be forced to leave the city without a credible reason to stay." Lin added, giving the tall waterbender a nod. "We have to keep this on the nose and do it by ourselves. One word of it getting to the police force and Kao will immediately know something's up."

"Luckily we have a way to find out." Asami smirked and waved a letter she picked up from the desk.

"The city's throwing a farewell party for that snake." Mako scowled, his eyebrows furrowing.

"All the people know is that he saved those hostages from the Agni Kais. Most of the reporters at City Hall have been paid to keep silent."

"Or are currently 'guests' in Police Headquarter's sublevels." Lin added.

"So there's a fancy party going on. How's that gonna help us?" Bolin glanced at all of them, hoping they had something other than simple planning.

Varrick came over and clapped him on the back. "It makes it simple for us to get close to them, that's how! I love parties, especially with all the espionage you can get away with!" At the glances everyone gave him, he rubbed the tips of his moustache and sat back down, clearing his throat.

Don't worry. Varrick and I both got a invitation. And I'm good at getting around at parties." Bolin could have sworn he heard her mutter a curse under her breath. She shook her head and smiled at him. "And I've got someone I can take as a guest."

Bolin scratched the back of his neck, uncomfortable with the way Asami smirked at him. "Me?"

Lin smiled. "Get a suit, Bolin."

* * *

火


	13. The Shining Bay, the Firelord's Verdict

**A/N**

**And here's the next chapter everyone! I am seriously beginning to think that this whole 4-8 day release is pretty instead of trying to stick to 3-4! So, please, by all means enjoy this chapter, and don't forget to review and criticize, in the hopes that my writing will improve despite my crushed and crying remains. :)**

* * *

火

* * *

_Caldera, The Fire Nation._

With a long drawn out bleating of its horn the massive bulk of the ferry slowly left the pier behind, returning from where it came. Korra shielded her eyes from the sun as she looked out at the deep blue harbor where it began its return journey.

She was still able to make out two tiny person-shaped silhouettes standing just on the horizon with a large gap between them. In reality they were both several stories high, impossibly huge reminders of history. And even though they would be dwarfed by any of Republic City's skyscrapers, they were still larger than life.

A airship lazily lumbered through the air high above, the skeletal reinforcing struts constraining the narrow crimson cylinder from which a gondala sat suspended catching the sun's rays with ease. The airship was one of many in the warmth-filled orange skies of the Fire Nation Capital.

Soft wispy clouds danced everywhere above and around the airships, swirling around each other, blown by the late winter wind into vast formations, gently twisting against one another as the setting sun marked them all with its rays, filling them with a fiery shimmer she had never seen until now.

Now she knew why it was called the Fire Nation.

Naga shook herself, shifting uncomfortably and turning her head to grunt something. Korra nodded and scratched her ear, catching a few snippets of whispers and murmurs from a few of the passer-by, just managing to carry above the sound of rumbling satomobiles going up and down the massive . "I know, you'll adjust, girl. We'll find some shade."

She peered over the top of the saddle, noticing a steady crowd of people beginning to gather at a respectful distance around her and Naga, some of the kids in the crowd pointing at her and whispering to their mothers or fathers.

A few of the braver children smiled at her and she tried to return them the best she could, only able to do so half-heartedly with her thoughts still hung up on what exactly she was going to accomplish in the Fire Nation.

"Each time I come back here, I always forget how clear the air has become." Korra glanced over her shoulder at Zuko as the old man stretched and yawned, rubbing the scarred skin under his eye. Her eyes were drawn upwards to the impossibly huge sunhat perched haphazardly on his head. He waved cheerily at the gathered men and women on the open space of the pier.

"Yeah, compared to Republic City's, it actually almost hurts to breath it a little." Korra frowned at a memory of one of Katara's history lessons. "Shouldn't there be lots of smoke and ash in the air?"

Zuko chuckled and shook his head. "It used to be like that when I was younger. Part of the Fire Nation's debt to the rest of the world was to dismantle most of the factories and industrial plants used for the Hundred Year War. A small price to pay for a clear future." He said over the cheers of the growing crowd around them. He glanced behind at the bow of the ferry, catching sight of Tai making his way down to them. "Ah, there he is."

Korra watched him moving towards them, undisguised wonder on his face as he stared at the huge looming volcano sitting behind the harbor, connected by a long stretch of causeway that ran up the hillside to the base in perfect straightness.

On the tops of the cliffs on either side sat clusters of red-roofed houses or buildings. At the end, forming the central structure of a series of fortifications was a slender stone tower, widened at the base before sloping upwards and thinning underneath a flanged crimson roof. At the base a small opening was cut into its front where trams came in and out of, speeding along rails going down the center of the causeway all the way to where they stood at the harbor mouth.

"One is coming now. to the Phoenix District. Don't worry, Naga will fit." Korra glanced at Zuko as he nodded at the craggy top of the volcano looming behind the harbor and port town with a little smirk.

In disbelief she arched a eyebrow and folded her arms, before giving up with a little smile of wonder. "The city is inside a volcano?"

"Close. You'll see why its called Caldera." Just ahead a grey-tram slowed to a stop as the end of its track stopped a short walk from where they stood. Zuko led the way towards it as Korra kept a hold on Naga's reins, and Tai kept to her opposite flank, keeping the polar-bear dog between him and Korra. "We'll be heading straight for the palace."

"Really?"

"You two are going to meet with the Fire Lord." Korra nodded her understanding, remembering the fierce way Rin had carried herself with back at the national gala in Republic City. She frowned a little at the strained expression on Zuko as he glanced at Tai.

* * *

_Pro-bending Arena, Republic City._

Asami took a moment to collect herself by looking at the lights shimmering on the darkened waters, reflecting on the hulls of yachts and barges of all shapes and sizes docked against the sides of the vast platform extending out into Yue Bay.

A crowd had gathered near one of the edges, gazing down at the largest of the watercraft, admiring its pure white hall and multiple floors, in particular the shutters set into the base of the floors sitting above the main deck. On either side of the main hull sat vast pontoons, making it possible for the monstrosity of a ship to travel at speed and actually float above rather than under the water.

She watched the beefy bouncers rebuffing attempts by onlookers to move onto the gangplank leading down to the ship for a look at its luxurious innards, sometimes waterbending them into the harbor with a splash.

Asami turned around at the sound of her partner nervously clearing his throat. The earthbender had a strained look on as he shifted uncomfortably in the tuxedo and earth-toned dress shirt underneath, fidgeting around and adjusting his cuffs. One of them popped open just as she turned around, placing a hand on her hip. "Dashing as always, Bolin."

Bolin would have had something to say if the soft crimson swirls on her dress didn't catch his attention or the small tear-drop shaped window just below her collarbone. His thoughts completely tumbled into each other as he beheld the simple-cut dress she had picked out for the occasion, slowly fumbling around with his cuff as her smile grew larger and more knowing.

With a grin she came closer and looped her arm with his. "Ready, partner?"

Slowly his thoughts came back as she gestured at the arena entrance. "Uh. Yep." Scanning the crowds around them for a few moments as he walked with Asami on the footpath he turned to her with a nervous glance. "You think Eska will be here?"

Asami smile and nodded, nudging him in the ribs. "I'm guessing she got a invite. She is a princess after all."

Bolin nodded quickly. "Right. Man, it feels weird to be here and not wearing the Fire-Ferret uniform.

"Been a while since I've seen you in the monkey suit, Bo'." The two of them stopped and moved to the side of the pier connecting back to the mainland to get out of the way of others making their way into the illustriously gaudy building.

Bolin grinned at Mako as his older brother grimaced and tugged at his neckbow. "Took you long enough, what was the hold up?"

Mako sighed and pinched his nose. "Its pretty hard to move around in a station filled with Dai Li Agents, bro. I only got out of there when Lin vouched for me as her personal assistant."

"Hmm. People will find it a little weird that she's in there and you're not." Asami gave the firebender a playful smirk as he fretted over his scarf, making sure it was secure around his neck.

"So let's get in there. Looking sharp by the way." Mako quickly added.

"Guys."

Boto and Sensha picked their way across a nearby garden, one of many built in a dizzying pattern surrounding the magnifcent pagoda on which the city's attention had focused for the night.

The tall waterbender scratched the back of his neck, looking sheepish in a pale-blue waistcoat and matching pants as he stepped over the rope lining either side of the area just in front of the arena's double doors. For her part Sensha grumbled incoherently as she tried the same only for her dress to bunch up, and take her off-balance

"So, ready to face high society?" Boto said, just as he casually flicked a hand out at the sound of a squeak from Sensha as she gripped onto him.

Blowing a black bang out of her mouth Sensha had a unimpressed look on her. "Hate these things." she muttered. Glancing at Bolin she nodded approvingly, taking her hand off of Boto's steady arm and hopping over.

Mako watched her for a few moments with a amused look before turning to Boto. "So now that we're all here..."

Bolin chuckled and rubbed his palms together with a glint in his eyes. "Sleuthing. _Love it._"

Sensha rolled his eyes and elbowed him in the side, getting a yelp from the earthbender. Boto fought down a sigh at the same time Asami did and glanced at the four of them. "Kya, Bumi and Lin are already inside. We'll head in as one group. Once we're in, we can start looking around. Wu's probably gonna start some speech about his dedication to the city soon. We better hurry."

"Hey. Where's Varrick?" Bolin scratched his nose, looking at the massive yacht sitting in the harbor for a few moments before following them towards the huge double-doored entrance to the arena, thrown open for the crowds and bathed completely in golden light and rendering the people ahead of them as dark figures.

Asami shared his concern. "He should be here."

* * *

Once the crowd had thinned out they moved past a fountain of water shimmering in the golden lights, heading towards a series of ticket booths with turnstiles in between them. Asami smiled at the men and women manning them as she quickly looped her arm with Bolin's.

Bolin reddened for a few moments just as the two of them stopped before the turnstile. She opened her purse and waved the gold and crimson flecked invitation at the young bespectacled woman manning the booth, who smiled as she recognised Asami. "Good to see you, ms Sato. I see you've brought a guest?"

"Uh. Yep." Bolin leaned across and pointed to himself with a small grin. "That's me."

The woman nodded as she punched a hole in the corner of Asami's invitation, handing it back with well-practiced. "Have a good time at the fundraiser. And if you don't mind me saying, you make a great couple."

Behind Bolin's flushing cheeks Mako sniggered, getting a elbow in the ribs from Sensha. The firebender groaned and coughed as the three of them approached the turnstile.

Asami sighed and tugged Bolin through the turnstile with her, coming out on the other side and glancing at him. He chuckled nervously as he tugged at his collar. She smiled. "Don't worry, at least we know our covers authentic. And... I think we do make a great couple.

The main hall stretched far to the side where they looked, with the second level overlooking it running across the entirety of the inner wall separating the outer sections of the arena from the playing field itself. For the occasion, the main tunnel to the stands had been barred shut, its doors locked and decorated with crimson drapery in front of which a podium sat, both to give flavor to the room and to hide the cracks and fissures still left in the concrete from the bombing.

Bolin's eyes fell on a huge buffet table that occupied the center of the main floor around which men and women from all nations had gathered. A squeak from his collar answered his thoughts and Asami glanced at him with a slightly exasperated look, before catching sigh of a crowd gathering before the podium.

Mako and Boto came up behind her while Sensha joined Bolin in his preparations to assault the assortment of steaming Unagi fillets, golded perfection moose-lion steaks swimming in pools of deep rich Makai sauce, flanked by huge grey fish speared on water tribe platters. All of it had already dragged Bolin and Sensha's attention away.

"Alright. Wu's obviously the center of attention. We'll have a tough time trying to talk to him." Boto said.

Mako stroked his chin, his eyes narrowed as they tracked a portly man trying to hide his complete baldness with a large and gaudy top hat with a flashy red feather sticking out of the brim. "We will."

Asami nodded to the both of them, her attention on Lin as she sat on one of the chairs at the back of the podium as Wu started migrating towards the speaker stand, looking decidedly uncomfortable and annoyed. Next to her Makei had the exact same look. "There's gotta be a way to distract the crowd from Wu after he's done talking."

Boto stroked his chin, ignoring a few lingering looks from a couple of uptown girls dressed to impress nearby, and frowning at the dark glares they failed to hide directed at Asami. "We'll split up to cover more ground, draw less attention. Bolin and Sensha are already intent on watching the central attraction, so I'll go for the upper floors."

"And I'll keep a eye on Wu."

"Okay." Asami ignored the looks from the nearby group of girls as she nodded to them both. "Good luck."

Mako and Boto both gave her a thumbs up and left in different directions.

"Ms Sato." Varrick's assistant inclined her head with a graceful smile as she approached, dressed in a modest greyish blue long-sleeved dress, utterly tame compared to anything else.

Asami blinked twice at the sight of the young woman, surprised to find her at the party without the eccentric inventor and magnate nearby. "Zhu Li? Where's Varrick?"

"Varrick will be here momentarily."

"He's late?"

"In his own eyes he'll be on time. He deemed that a suitable distraction was necessary for us to do what we need."

She nodded, noticing movement on the podium at the far end of the room. Zhu Li automatically followed her around the buffet table, casually cuffing Bolin on the ear as she passed to check his zealous attack on a roast flying-pig. The two of them stopped at the edge of the gathering crowd as the councilman page finished a conversation with Wu and scurried towards the speaker stand.

Asami noticed the slight scowl on Zhu Li's usually stoic features that she directed at the old Fire Nation councilman. "Zhu Li?"

"It's nothing, Ms Sato... I used to work for men like Councilman Wu before meeting Varrick." Zhu Li's grey eyes briefly moved downward for just a moment before flicking back up with the stoic mask back on her features. "I've welcomed the change since."

The girl nodded, flicking a loose stand of hair behind her ear as the Council Page cleared his throat loudly. "Ladies and gentlmen, thank you all for coming tonight on this occasion.

Flashed and whumps went off among the crowd as the gathered reporters and journalists scattered throughout eagerly anticipated what was about to come. The Page waited for the crowd to settle down before continuing." It is my proud honor to present Councilman Wu!"

The crowd cheered and clapped while Asami and Zhu Li watched Wu pat the Page on the shoulder, coming to the stand dressed in voluminous crimson robes. He nodded at the assembled crowd, keeping his head dipped respectfully. "Friends. I am proud to call you that, as much as I am humbled by the praise and thanks I have recieved for my effort in saving those hostages. But it was not I alone who accomplished such a feat." He turned and bowed to Lin and Makei, the two of them nodded at the same time.

Wu turned back to the crowd. "The brave men and women of our Police Force deserve just much, if not all, the praise for their hard work against the accursed Agni Kai Triads and any other criminals who dare make a mockery of what Avatar Aang envisioned for this great city. As does the Avatar herself for putting out the great firestorm they left in their escape from the authorities."

With a sigh Wu shook his head, still smiling at the crowd. "While it is unfortunate that Avatar Korra is unable to grace us with her presence tonight, I understand and wish her safety wherever she is. As for myself, I might as well say the same in my fast approaching return to my homeland."

"Wait, what?" Asami whispered to herself. She glanced at Zhu Li, who's eyes were narrowed just barely. "This isn't good."

"There'll be too much heat on him if he continues to stay in the city. Too many people who know what he's really done. A common tactic they resort to."

At that moment, just as Wu cleared his throat amid the crowd's renewed cheering Asami heard a ripple of surprised laughter and shocked outrage coming from the people near the entrance to the arena.

She blinked twice just as Zhu Li quietly sighed at the sight of a immense platypus bear clumsily hopping over the turnstiles, while a group of women dressed in flashy costumes and boasting huge assortments of feathers began to spread out among the room, converging on the podium where the flabbergasted Wu stood, gripping the podium with a whitened expression.

The platypus bear briefly lingered near Asami and Zhu Li to give them a thumbs up before waddling through the crowd to stand before the podium and the shocked councilman. The monster's maw snapped open as it took the blue sailing hat off and bowed.

"What is the meaning of this?" Wu mumbled.

He was answered by the sound of a zip as the huge platypus-bear's front came undone, and Verick stepped out with a flourish and a bow. "In honor of Councilman Wu's utterly heroic efforts against those dastardly Agni Kais, some associates of mine wanted to thank him, personally, for being such a inspiration to us all in these confusing times. Girls!" He beckoned to the showgirls and they sauntered onto the platform towards Wu, while the others mingled with the surprised and entertained crowd.

The old man stared at them with a bewildered expression.

With a drawn-out sigh, Zhu Li pushed up her glasses while Asami folded her arms with a bemused look. "Of course he did."

* * *

Sensha chewed on a slice of flying-pig, balanced precariously on the tips of her fork as she watched Varrick's showgirls run amok all across the room, a little entranced by the shiny sequins on their brightly colored leotards and the huge feathered plumes perched on their heads.

She gave Bolin a askew glance, noticing how raptly his attention had been taken. "So, Varrick's distraction is definitely... distracting."

Pabu answered her first with a chitter from within the boy's collar. Sensha rolled her eyes and waved her hand in front of Bolin's face to rouse him, a little perturbed that his attention was so easily grabbed.

Bolin blinked as he turned to Sensha. "Desna's here." She raised a eyebrow and followed his finger to where a group of showgirls had cornered the Northern Prince, able to see the shade of bright red his face had gone from that far away.

"May I ask you to rescue my brother?"

Sensha turned at the sound of Eska's polite question, to see her standing there with a slightly concerned look leveled at her brother and his predicament in the distance. She gazed longingly at the slice of flying-pig still perched on her fork for a few seconds, before nodding to the princess with a slight smile and placing the plate down on the nearby table, which Pabu immediately took advantage off and slid down Bolin's arm, lunging at the meat with a series of excited squeaks.

"I'll go save him."

Eska inclined her head. "Thank you, Sensha."

Sensha directed a smile at Bolin, nudging him in the ribs as she left in the direction of Desna and the showgirls surrounding him. Bolin rubbed his side, laughing nervously as Eska stood in front of him with her hands clasped in front of her. "Feeling better, princess?"

She nodded. "Yes, it was only minor. Father and brother were worried, as they always do, but I'm fine." Her quiet cheer faded a little as she stepped closer. "But what about you? That trial involving your friend, father thinks that something happened."

"Yeah. You could say that."

"I was worried." Eska admitted, unsurely coming a little closer. Eska suddenly reddened, glancing away for a moment before looking back at him. "Bolin. Can I ask you something?"

He shrugged and nodded. "Uh. Shoot."

"I want you to accompany me back to the North. I would like you to see what my tribe has to offer."

For a moment words had deserted him. Bolin quickly regained his thoughts as he grinned, his head currently screaming at the prospect of leaving Republic City behind, especially without Mako or Korra or Asami. He didn't realize he had a stricken look on him for a few seconds, bringing a frown to Eska before he wiped it away with a good-natured grin. "I'd be honored... but, what about that Kerisa guy?"

"That has been taken care off. His family called off the engagement. My father was curious, but nonetheless... I am content. What is your answer?"

"I... need some time to think about it."

"Alright. But we leave at sunset tomorrow." Eska grinned and leaned forward, putting a confused frown on the earthbender and a reddish tinge on his ears.

"And once we are in icy bliss... I will make you mine." Eska whispered in his ear. His cheeks flushed as he leaned back and watched the unnervingly confident look in the Northern Princess's icy eyes. Bolin chuckled, knowing for sure how she was related to Korra. He smiled at the hesitant expression that had surfaced on her. "That was too forward, wasn't it?"

Bolin gave a nervous squeak in answer as Eska shuffled away in the direction of Desna and Sensha as quick as she could.

He jumped when Pabu hopped back onto his shoulder, the ferret's head tilted at him. Bolin reached up a hand to scratch his chin when his stomach loudly rumbled. He had to go.

The earthbender veered away from the buffet table, making his way through the room and the crowds, dodging Varrick's showgirls and catching a glimpse of Lin's unimpressed expression on the stage as Varrick danced around in Ping Ping. His stomach rumbled again, urging him down a hallway scantily populated by a few party-goers.

His face lit up at the sight of a men's room sign over one of the doors at the same as it paled after another rumble. Bolin grimaced as he made his way past a group of people discussing something about bonds, only to stop at the sight of a entire line of men in waiting for the bathroom.

Bolin pulled a face and half-hobbled out of the bathroom entry into the hallway, where he caught sight of Councilman Pok surreptiously looking about while Kerisa Jnr had his lips around a huge bottle of ambrosia.

"I'm celebrating...the creepy princess isn't my problem no more!"

"Your father tasked me to keep you under control, get a hold of yourself and listen for once!"

Bolin hid behind a buttress as Pok grabbed Kerisa jnr's arm and pulled him into a nearby room. When he was certain Bolin crept forwards, sidling up against the wall just outside of the room. "...I will not have a repeat of what happened in the tunnels with the Avatar!

"That treacherous peasant got the drop on me, it wasn't-"

"It was your doing, boy. You were too focused on having some fun with the Avatar and Tenzin's student to see what was happening when it was too late."

"So?

"The spirit attacks will force Chief Unalaq to take action. There's nothing to worry about."

"Except it was all but assured that we would succeed if you married Eska. But now you've called off the engagement. She is the princess of the Water Tribe and there will be questions asked. Now we need to approach this problem from another avenue. And hope that those bloodbenders will be discreet enough to do what we need."

Bolin quickly hid from sight as Councilman Pok walked out of the room and into the hallway, disappearing from sight among the crowds. Pabu chittered nervously from inside his suit. He nodded. "Same here, buddy."

* * *

Mako leaned on the railing, shaking his head at the commotion having gripped the party since Varrick arrived. After a few seconds he spotted Bolin near the buffet table, able to spot the puckered expression on his little brother from there as he made a erratic dash for a hallway underneath the second floor.

"A drink, sir?"

He looked over his shoulder and waved off the butler. "No thanks."

"Apologies. But it is a gift from mr Butakha."

Narrowing his eyes Mako turned away from the railing, staring at the slender-necked bottle of ruddy colored liquid sitting on a silver platter on its lonesome, a bright green satin ribbon tied around it. His eyes settled on a crisp note tucked into the ribbon. Around it sat two small glasses. He glanced questioningly at the mousy butler as he grabbed the bottle, nodding his thanks as the butler moved off elsewhere.

Throwing several glances at the crowd to try and find where butler disappeared to, he tossed the satin bow on the floor and unfolded the card.

_Wanna talk to you, kid. My office. Butakha._

He turned away from the railing, making his way through the mingling crowd to a hexagonal shaped passage way set in the center of the interior wall with a thick brass frame, polished to perfection, encircling the entire passage.

Once he made it through the crowds without too much drama he came to the passageway and the huge bouncers standing in front of it, their bulging arms folded across their chests. The two meat-mountains stared down at Mako and nodded, stepping to the side.

Mako's steps echoed on the white marble flooring as he made his way into the spacious office, the walls a cream color with wooden fittings on the bottom. He gave some of the sculptures in the room a curious look as he stopped on the other side of a porcelain desk, looking across it at the huge stretch of frosted orange glass making up one side of the room. He could make out the blurred profiles of the playing field and the arena stands beyond it.

Butakha turned to face Mako with a wide grin, the portly slimeball tipping his tall hat at the same time. "Long time no see, Mako, my boy!"

"Not long enough." Mako growled, the memory of the contents in Shiro Shinobi's letter getting more vivid. He flexed his hand.

A golden tooth in the portly businessman's mouth gleamed as his grin continued. "Mako. We're friends aren't we? Providing room and board for you and your beloved little brother for a few matches a week? Not to mention providing you with steady pay and work that have earned the two of you quite the lovely following of die-hard fanatics?"

The firebender tensed his muscles as Butakha held out his arms in a open manner. "I've come to think of myself as a father to you two boys since Toza found you as strays on the street." Mako slowly made his way around the side of the desk. "Where's the gratitude, my boy?"

"Oh, there's plenty of gratitude. Let me express some of it." Mako's eyes flashed as he gripped Butakha's puffed up collar and wheeled him around, pushing him backwards into the wall adjacent to the window, a nearby sculpture shattering on the floor.

"Unhand me!"

"Just a sec'." Mako muttered, snapping his fingers and lighting a flame over his palm. The firelight reflected in his eyes as he brought it closer to Butakha's pudgy features as the man tried in vain to pry Mako's fingers from him. "One time, and one time only. Talk about your deal with the Agni Kais!"

Butakha gritted his teeth with a snarl as the sound of heavy footsteps echoed on the room's floor. A toothy grin soon broke out. "You've got some nerve, kid. And a lot to learn about shaking info out of a guy."

Mako sighed and punched him in the gut, letting the guy slide to the floor with a pained groan as he turned and ducked under a fist crashing towards him. He stuck out his foot for the clumsy bouncer to trip over, and used the flame in his hand to send the bald man tumbling across the room and into the opposite wall with a meaty crunch and crash.

Another pair of hands enter his vision, this time grabbing onto the tail of his scarf and wrenching it off his neck. The bouncer cursed and tried to grab him as Mako growled and whirled around with a series of jabs in the bald man's side, vaguely remembering him from a long time ago at Amon's Revelation.

The man cried out as Mako advanced on him and held onto both ends of the scarf, slipping it over his head and behind his neck and pulling his head down towards his uplifted knee. The bodyguard grunted as his nose cracked and he fell backwards, falling back on the table with a groan.

Mako sniffed once, shaking out his scarf and dusting it for a bit before slipping it back around his neck and rolling his shoulders, before turning around and grabbing Butakha by the collar with a single grunt. "Gonna share?" Mako hissed, the flames on his fist showing in Butakha's beady eyes.

All of his earlier bluster gone, Butakha let out a tiny whimper as the flames licked his cheek a little. "Yes! I met with them!"

"Details."

"I- I needed to turn a quick couple of yuans! The insurance on the arena was worth millions, it was a no-brainer!"

The firebender rolled his eyes before ramming his knee into the man's doughy chest. Snapping his fingers to get the groaning man's attention he leaned in close with a dark light in his golden eyes. "They nearly killed my younger brother and hurt a lot of people. Worth the yuans? Where'd you meet them?!"

"Metalwork factory! Some dusty old haunt smack-dab in the industrial district! I met with Wu there, I swear!"

Mako released Butakha, levelling a kick into the whimpering man as his mind raced. "Thanks for the tip." he said as he turned and left the mewling businessman and his two unconscious bodyguards behind. He expelled a breath and stopped the adjust his crimson scarf, before moving back down the passage, closing the doors shut behind him.

* * *

Asami smiled again at everyone she moved past, some of who either returned it with just a little less warmth, others with a curt nod, and others still just not bothering to acknowledge her at all. She kept the smile on as she had aimlessly wander around the part for a while, slowly realizing she was coming closer to the outside.

Drawn to the fresh air she decided to duck outside, wondering if the others had any luck with what they were doing. Her job had been completed by getting them in. Asami rubbed her bare shoulders as the wind picked up, making her way towards the walkway to one of the exquisitely decorated rotundas jutting out from the main platform the arena stood on.

Glancing behind her at the golden specter of the huge building, she loosed a sigh as she walked the length of the walkway and made it under the golden roof of the rotunda, finding herself drawn to the railing overlooking the waters lapping below.

Staring at the softly rolling waves Asami grimaced and bowed her head. No matter what she could not stop thinking about Future Industries, about the twisted and burnt hulk of a building she had personally seen herself, where all of her hopes and dreams about bringing the company back to life were stored. Where she would bring it back on top and wipe away the shame her father brought down on her head by bettering the world through her technology.

Now it was all gone.

Even with the deal she had struck with Varrick all those months ago, and even with the Southerner and Iroh being with her every step of the way, they hadn't gotten anywhere, hadn't moved beyond the truth that Future Industries was doomed to fail.

Her eyes glistened.

She remembered the goggles she found, knowing that there was nobody else in the world responsible for what happened.

"Hey."

She turned around to see Bolin walk into the rotunda's shelter, a slight grimace on him as he looked about it. The earthbender grinned at her as he leaned on the rail. "Its kinda cold out here."

Asami nodded, wiping at her cheeks before he could notice. "Sorry... just came out here to get some air."

"Um... so Eska has asked me to go to the Northern Water Tribe with her."

"Wow. That's a big think to ask." Asami felt glad to focus on something else than her own troubles."

"Yeah, I mean I've always wanted to see the Northern lights! I think my parents were thinking of taking us one time until... well..." He shook his head. "I shouldn't go. I mean, leaving you all alone in that huge mansion? It's not right."

Asami frowned at the look of concentration on Bolin as he wrestled with some kind of thought. "But... if I don't, then I think something bad will happen to Eska."

"What do you mean? Is she in danger?"

"Yes... no... I don't know." Bolin blew out a frustrated breath and looked away from her. "And here I am, making excuses."

She nodded, eyes flicking down to the shimmering surface of the water before looking back at him. Asami offered a warm smile. "I think you should go."

"I'm so sorry, Asami."

"Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself." Asami leaned over and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Thanks for looking out for mE, Bolin.

* * *

_The Fire Lord's Palace, Central Caldera._

The three of them stood in the shadow of a vast and ancient construction. Korra gazed up at the majestic and intimidating tower as Naga came to a stop underneath her. The gargantuan construction sat on a foundation of smooth grey stones that they stood, built over the volcanic rock that made up the ground underneath the entire inner city. Her eyes took in the gold and brass-plated flanged edging on the multiple storied building, looking like the spikes on a old set of Fire Nation armor.

On either side of them sat a entire wing of the building, acting like massive bulwarks designed to place their focus on the yawning double doors set in the shadow of the central spire, sporting gilded spiralling displays of dragons entwined around one another as stylized fire spewed forth from them.

Whenever Korra or Zuko saw the open-mouthed look of wonder on Tai, he scowled and quickly shut his mouth.

Korra frowned as she heard the movement of many people coming from within. She glanced at the easy expression on Zuko as the old man lead them to a stop in front of the double doors, bowing to the quartet of guards fully encased in smooth-plated armor with the visors down. "Wait, we're late?"

Zuko answered her with a chuckle as each of the four guards moved to the open mouth of a brass pipe set on either side of the doors, projecting a stream of fire into their waiting maws. The double doors groaned as they slowly moved inwards. He placed a steadying hand on her shoulder and shrugged. "As the former Fire Lord. I think we may be forgiven for showing up a few minutes late, wouldn't we?"

Reluctantly she nodded, not so sure that Rin would be so forgiving of her or Tai as the doors opened up to a vast and yawning hall, a rich uniform red in color. Zuko led the way in, ushering them onto a central path running between the thick and smooth columns that held up the vaulted ceiling, going the entire length of the crimson hall.

On either side a vast crowd of people turned to greet the new arrivals. At the sight of Zuko murmurs broke out, and at the sight of Korra and Naga the murmurs broke out even more, many of them barely realizing that a boy was with them.

Zuko kept his eyes forwards as they neared the other end of the hall, where the crowd's front edge sat, facing the current Fire Lord from across a large gulf of emptiness. "The three of you, step forward."

"Of course." Zuko bowed his head and moved first, stopping in the center of the empty floor right before the steps. Korra and Tai slowly did the same.

She gulped as Rin's eyes settled on hers, and the Fire Lord gave the Avatar a simple nod from her position at the crown of a series of steps leading to a raised platform, where she sat seated on a simple black iron chair inside a starkly furnished palanquin, slouching a little.

The doors boomed behind them as they closed, and the crowd's whispers slowly grew louder in the absolute silence of the hall.

Rin smiled. "Father."

Zuko returned it, urging both Korra and Tai to bow with him. "Daughter. May I present Avatar Korra and Tenzin's student, Tai, to your court? They are in the Fire Nation as my guests."

"They're welcome to stay at the Palace as guests, father." Rin had a little smirk on as she glanced at Korra. "Its been a while since we last met, Avatar."

She nodded, clasping her hands together and bowing. "It is good to see you, Fire Lord Rin."

"There is some business I must take care of with the boy, Avatar." The crowd bustled as their eyes fell on the boy standing besides Korra and Zuko. "He stands accused of trying to kill a member of my court. He will be arrested and thrown in jail for what he's done."

Korra's eyes widened as the crowd gasped in the hall, while the Fire Nation soldiers standing in formation at the base of the steps leading to the throne advanced as one line, quickly closing in a circle around the three of them with their fists raised. She glanced at Zuko questioningly as he kept a calm face on, while Tai glared at the approaching soldiers.

The crowd murmured and talked excitedly as Korra whirled around to try and face all of the soldiers, slowly backing towards Tai with her hands held up. She shook her head with a growl and pointed up at Rin. "Wait - just hold on!"

Rin looked at Korra, giving Naga a askew glance as the polar-bear dog growled quietly. "Yes, Avatar?"

"You can't do this!"

"I am the Fire Lord of the Fire Nation. And he has attacked one of my subjects."

At the sound of this the soldiers closed in on them. Korra gritted her teeth, about to spark a flame when Zuko placed a hand on her shoulder and leaned in, extinguishing the fledgling flame. "I will speak with her."

At a gesture from Rin, the soldiers let him through their ranks, closing back up and keeping their hands trained on Korra and Tai while behind them Naga growled and bared her teeth. Zuko's footsteps echoed across the hall and the agitated murmurs of the crowd. He moved up the steps and stopped by his daughter's side.

As he did this some of the crowd angrily shifted, throwing agitated mutters at her and Tai. She scowled at the offenders when she spotted them, even as Tai stayed silent, eyes on his feet.

The crowd stilled when Rin stood up from the throne and Zuko left her side, bringing a hush over the gathered lords and ladies in the vast hall as the soldiers noisily filed back to their posts at the base of the steps. "At my father's advice, he asks that we settle the matter through a time-honored tradition." Her fiery eyes pierced straight into Tai's. "I challenge the boy to a Agni Kai, to determine his honor and guilt in this grievous crime against my court."

As she sat back down, Tai's eyes narrowed. Next to him Korra's widened as she took a step forward, her hands bunched into fists. "What!?"

"Do you accept, kid?"

"Why not?" Tai muttered. Korra glanced at him in disbelief, having the mind to knock some sense into him. Her thoughts raced as she stared up at Rin, while around the crowds shifted in their excitement.

She tapped her chest. "Wait! Fire Lord Rin. On my honor as the Avatar, I will take his place."

"And why should I allow this? He has to bear the price."

"I know what he did was... wrong, but if you're doing this for Councilman Wu, than you'll let me do the same for Tai. He's my friend."

Rin shook her head. "As much as I want to see your firebending for myself, Avatar, and while what you say is the truth. I must forbid it. In the Fire Nation, the guilty party must defend their own honor. He has until dawn tomorrow to prepare. You will be shown to your quarters and confined there until then."

The crowd's excited murmuring and whispering washed over her ears unheard as Korra turned to Zuko and the look of regret on his wizened features.

* * *

火


	14. The Fire Meeting, the Splitting Up

**A/N**

Okay. So as a heads up the next chapter will be a little bit split in its focus on everyone as they split up. I have a idea for doing it equally, but if its not working out, let me know.

Oh, and I'm going to work on a release gap of 4-6 days instead of 7-10.

As always. Please criticize and please review, it really helps. :)

* * *

火

* * *

_Mao District, Republic City._

Sometimes he wished he could bend air. Mako rolled the windows up as the smog got worse, waving his hand in front of his nose to keep the air as clean as he could.

Next to him, Asami concentrated on the road as it ran in a dead straight line, her knuckles white as she gripped the wheel, her entire body taut as she surveyed the smoky and grime-encrusted buildings around them, the light from their windows glowing a sickly orange as they illuminated patches of the polluted air in the brisk hours before sunrise.

Mako glanced at the discharger glove over her hand and the look of deep focus on her features. In the backseat, Bolin tapped his fingers against his arm with a grimace, glancing up at the back of Mako's seat every so often while Varrick stretched and woke with a loud yawn.

Bolin started and looked over at Varrick. "You're able to sleep with all of this ruckus?" He cleaned out his ears as factory sirens constantly echoed in the distance, joining police sirens and the noisy rumblings of far-off hauler engines taking and returning processed metals.

"Live through five or ten blizzards and you can do it too, Bo'. So, where is this joint you roughed up Butakha to find?" Varrick's words came out muffled and garbled through his yawning, amid mumbling that he was too rich to be up this early.

Mako looked over his shoulder at the Southerner. "Should be close."

Varrick nodded and puffed his cheeks out while rolling down his window. Thick dark curls of smog visibly wafted in, making him cough and sputter as he quickly winded it back up, pulling a handkerchief out and holding it over his nose and mouth. "Blargh! Why do the Triads always have to pick the worst places to do business from?"

"Keeps a smokescreen between them and the police." Mako smirked a little at his own wit, winking at Asami as she loosed a sigh and shook her head, while Bolin nervously chuckled. Varrick sniggered as well just as Asami suddenly brought them to a stop. He pressed himself into the black leather seats to stop from hitting the back of her chair. "What's up?"

Asami made sure the engine was kept rumbling as she nodded her chin at the huge silhouetted building across the street from them. Almost every inch of its surface was covered with intersecting and crossing sections of damp brass piping, the looser ones expelling steam. What wasn't covered by a pipe was covered by riveted sheets of black iron, with rough slits cut at regular intervals all over the building's sides to function as cheap ventilation for the unfortunate workers inside.

Bolin didn't fail to notice that the building's roofing was flanged, giving it a fearsome appearance. "What kind of place is this?"

"Looks like one of the old steamworks buildings. These places used to power most of the city before the power plants took over. From what I heard they were incredibly dangerous to work in." Asami remembered her books, and a lot of what her mother taught her. She glanced at Mako, glad that he never would have had to experience such a cruel way to earn money.

"Back in the day, they used to one of the only places a firebender could go to for work. That or join a gang. Which usually meant working in a place like that." Mako grimaced, wondering if his mother had to work in one of them. She never had said much of what she used to do before meeting his dad.

"All of this chattery isn't going to get us the juicy details. I've got some eyes we can use to get a closer look. Zhu Li's eyes." Mako crinkled a eyebrow and turned to Varrick.

Bolin scratched his neck and frowned. "Isn't Zhu Li handling your business?"

"It was time my beleaguered assistant got some sunshine. Time to get an update." Varrick winked at Bolin as he reached into his waist-jacket, bringing out a small brown handheld with the Future Industries logo emblazoned on the back. He gave a nod to Asami and cleared his throat. Mako frowned at the loudness. "Zhu Li, how's the thing?"

"I've spotted two Agni Kai's approaching that building, sir. You should see them soon."

"Okey dokey, where exactly are you?"

"On the roof of the fifteen-story building behind where your car. Why?"

Varrick hummed. "Bolin wanted to know. The kid's looking out for ya."

"If you say so, sir."

Varrick's handheld crackled into silence. He rolled down the window and before Bolin could stop him, once again got a mouthful of the ever-present smog in the district as he stuck out his arm and gave a thumbs up to the building behind them. Hacking and wheezing he quickly retracted his arm and shut the window again.

Mako rolled his eyes and sighed, before seeing a glance from Asami. "We need to get in there."

"So... I kinda needed to tell you something." Bolin slowly looked up, continuing to push his fingers together as the car rumbled to a stop and the front seat squeaked as Mako shifted against the leather. Finding his nerves, he took a deep breath and opened his mouth. "Mako, I'm going to be-"

"Just a minute, Bo'." Mako narrowed his eyes to watch the streetside opposite them, seeing two crimson-armored figures walking side by side across the front of the dark factory, having just emerged from its shutter doors at the front before walking out of the gate alongside a line of barbed wire fencing. "Got 'em."

"But-"

"I won't be long. We can talk when I get back, Bolin."

"You're going over there?!" Bolin hissed in a sharp whisper. "But those guys-"

"I know what they did. And I'll be careful. I promise. Just stay here."

Mako gave him a stiff nod, ignoring the look of sympathy from Asami and even the one from Varrick, opening his side's door and getting out on the streetside, slamming it shut to keep the smog out.

Bolin and Asami watched in abject horror as Mako stopped in the middle of the empty road near the patrolling pair, bringing his fingers to his lips and blowing a sharp whistle, waving to get their attention before sprinting towards them. They shouted in alarm before he pushed one of them down, ducking into a nearby shed to avoid the fireballs of the other.

"Oh, spirits!" Bolin hissed. "Mako, why'd you do that!?"

"Calm down, Bolin." Asami muttered, feeling the exact same way.

"He'll be fine. Your older brother's a bore, but he's got a cool head on him." Slowly Bolin stopped gnashing his teeth, able to calm himself down as one of the pair ran into the shed before his partner could follow. The interior flashed brightly for a few moments, and the last Agni Kai ran in only to get a fireball in the chest and get thrown out onto the footpath with his armor scraping on the concrete.

Once the two of them were down, Mako immediately dragged him into the shed with the other, disappearing from sight.

Bolin watched as Mako came into view, flipping up the bone-white visor on the clunky armor and gave him a thumbs up. With a sigh of relief Bolin sunk down the seat a little. "Oh, thank goodness..."

That good feeling disappeared as soon as he turned in the direction of the vast and imposing steamworks building, looking around for a few moments before moving further down the alley between the steamworks and the sheds.

Asami drummed her fingers on the wheel, the tapping deepened by the leather and metal fittings on the discharger glove. She grinded her teeth for a few seconds.

Varrick noticed the determined look she held when he saw her reflection in the rear-view mirror. "Uh, Asami-"

She ignored him as she reached across and popped the glove box open, dragging out a blackened belt loop festooned with silver cylinders with several bola pairs tied to it.

* * *

_Fire Lord's Palace, Central Caldera._

Rin glanced to either side as aides rushed out onto the narrow rectangular platform taking the central floor and length of the vast open-aired hall, unclasping the brass buckles on her shoulders and rolling her shoulders with a relieved breath as wire-framed pauldrons fell to the floor with a heavy thud. Her aides reached her as the crowd of crimson, black and gold muttered among themselves on stands on either side, while Iroh moved through them towards the other end of the hall.

Near the opposite end of Korra fidgeted by Zuko's side at the front of the crowd, the space around them cleared by Naga's presence as she sat on her haunches, growling at any who got too nosy.

Shaking her head and raising her voice, Korra stared at the old man in disbelief. "Zuko, you can't let her do this! She's your daughter, she'll listen-"

"It has to be done, Korra. Be silent." She arched a eyebrow in frustration when he didn't even look at her, instead his eyes went to the crowd around them, some of them with dark expressions as they muttered among each other. When he looked in their direction they immediately placed a neutral mask on.

"Do you know what a Agni Kai is, kid?" Rin's voice rang out across the clear space between them. She unclasped the sword belt around her waist, handing it and the black-bladed saber to a waiting aide, the bright crimson insignia of the Fire Nation engraved just above the blade foundation.

At the sight of the saber Tai's hand automatically reached to his shoulder, only to grasp at thin air. He flicked his attention to Naga's saddle where his sword had been tied to. He narrowed them, quickly looking back to Rin as Korra caught his eye.

"Of course I do." Tai finally muttered, returning the fiery stare of the Fire Lord with his own level of intensity.

Rin smirked. "Good. Don't get burned." She nodded to him as she worked her arms free of her robes, passing them to the same aide holding her sword and pauldrons, only wearing a simple black tank-top, her pale arms bared for all to see, absolutely rippling with muscle.

The aides quickly placed a simple red piece of cloth over her shoulders as she turned and lowered herself onto one knee, facing away her end of the hall with her back to Tai. They retreated off the long platform, as did the ones on Tai's end.

Tai shifted his shoulder under the fabric, wondering why they had placed it on him as he turned and knelt like Rin had. Unease sent prickles down his spine. He closed his eyes, taking steadying breaths before opening them again only to find his gaze being drawn to Korra's frayed expression.

Not thinking he quickly offered a tight smile in her direction when he noticed Rin had started walking towards him, already closing the gap.

Iroh had joined them, he nodded at Zuko before standing by Korra's side. She turned to him. "Why is she doing this?" Korra hissed.

The young general glanced away with a look of shame, hanging his head, tightening his hands. "I don't know. Agni Kais are decided by who gets burned first or if they surrender. So he should be fine but-" He stopped and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Korra. She wouldn't say."

"Ready yourself."

Tai held up his hand, keeping his stance stable as he advanced towards Rin. Like lightning her foot lashed out with a stream of fierce orange flames, spiralling towards him before he could react.

He hopped backwards and snapped a foot up, hands thrown back for balance while he concentrated on bending the flames upwards. They licked at his bare foot, making him stumble back to avoid them. He turned the momentum into a flip, standing on his hands before tipping and dropping his legs in a horizontal sweep.

The flames responded by curling back towards Rin, who held her hands together before splitting them apart. The flames parted harmlessly to either side, dissipating in the air.

He gritted his teeth, springing up and rushing forwards with a spurt of fire in the palm of his hand. He released it as a furious burst, following up with jabs, kicks and spins. Rin hardly broke a sweat as she knocked them away from her.

The boy faltered and she pounced, she swept a wave of fire at his feet to make him hop into the air, before lunging forwards with a fireball in her palm. His eyes widened as instinct took over and he thrust his own hands forwards. The heat tickled his palms as he pushed against it, grunting with each effort to try and redirect on her.

Rin sweated as she pushed back, not noticing as he shifted his foot forwards suddenly. A tiny burp of flame took her focus and he took advantage, pushing with all of his strength at the fire. It billowed outwards before rushing into Rin at full force, spiralling down the length of the platform at great speed to the shock of the crowd with her on the recieving end.

He took a moment to catch his breath before attempting to move, only for horror to take hold in him as the great spiralling column suddenly expanded upwards and outwards into a huge cloud of flames, forcing the crowd to duck down. "Never lose control!" Rin shouted from above, her voice almost lost among the constant roar.

Tai felt the heat from there as he stood stunned to see the flames hiss and crackled before turning a hue of vibrant blue, the center becoming a pulsing white mass of hotness as the flames rushed to the air underneath Rin's foot, obscuring his view of the Fire Lord.

His eyes widened, fear taking root as the blue flames Rin projected from her extended foot expanded into a billowing gout almost as wide and long as the platform he stood on, crashing towards him with a singular roar that completely filled his ears. It descended on him completely and he lifted his arms to command the flames as they rushed around him, gasping as the air crackled with heat and his clothes clinged to his skin.

The boy fought to keep his eyes open as his body quickly spent any energy he had, the scar on his shoulder burned as he pushed and pushed and pushed, doing nothing in holding the flames back. Everything was on fire, like it was before.

The flames hissed as they closed in on every angle, the closest of them licking at his arms hungrily as he fought to keep standing, circulating what precious he had to keep his closing world as cool as possible to avoid immolation.

Somewhere outside of the flames he heard a voice ring out in anger and fear.

A second later, the firestorm howled in anguish as it was pulled away from claiming him, the flames slowly spinning themselves into thinner and thinner wisps, before dissipating completely.

Air rushed into his lungs as he dropped to the floor, instinct making him touch the raw burn marks on his arms and hands with a shuddering gasp. The crowd around the platform slowly gained the courage to stand up again, watching with uncertainty as Rin stood over the boy, a hand on her hip and a grim look on her.

"Hmph. On your feet. The Fire Lord accepts your surrender. "

"No-"

Rin's hand grabbed a fistful his collar as she lit a flame in her other, she leaned in with her teeth bared in a snarl. "Surrender!"

Every fiber of his being he tried to shake his head again, to spark a flame, to conjure up some wind, memories of Telei came rushing back and he fought against them, knowing that he could never surrender or give up like that again he'd-

Tai's eyes shifted to Korra's, hers filled with terror for him. He knew she was close to snapping. He looked down at the floor, completely silent until a single hoarse whispered came out of him. "... I surrender."

The words forced their way out of him, and the air filled with cheers as Rin dropped him and turned away, shaking out the flame in her hand.

"The Agni Kai is concluded!"

Amidst the polite clapping of the gathered nobles, Korra glared at Fire Lord Rin as she left the platform, her grip on the rail cracking and denting the wood as the air trapped within it was violently twisted and bent.

* * *

He was sweating everywhere inside the armor, trying to focus on walking through the dark and steamy space. Behind him, Asami mumbled something and flipped up her visor to wipe her brow, her face strained and pale.

"I still think you should have stayed in the car."

The top of his helmet snagged a low-hanging pipe, interrupting him. Mako growled, bunching his gauntleted hand into a fist to hit the pipe for a moment before thinking better of it and continuing down the dark and smoky tunnel. His footsteps clanged on the grated walkway, followed by another pair of footsteps.

"You really think I was gonna let you face these guys on your own?" She said inbetween trying to get every breath of air she could, stopping a moment.

Mako turned to her. "Asami, they're dangerous and I-"

She flipped her faceplate back on. Even though it completely covered her features, Mako could feel her eyes drilling into him with a cold stare. "I know."

Asami kept moving, leaving him to follow with a reluctant sigh. The two of them continued to trudge through the steam and dimly lit tunnel, coming out of it into a series of empty office cubicles. The echoes of a massive crowd contained in a large open space drifted to them from the closed door ahead.

Just as the two of them moved halfway into the room, they heard heavy footsteps come to a stop behind them. Mako and Asami whirled around, looking up to see a bald giant looking down at them, glaring with golden eyes at them. He wore a sleeveless crimson vest with his arms folded over his chest.

"Iniatiates! What are you two doing out here, the Dragonshead is preparing his speech! Do you want to get the whip!?"

Mako quickly glanced at Asami before shaking his head and stiffening, preparing a salute before stopping himself from blowing his cover. Asami stood ramrod straight, at attention. "Sorry sir! We were just coming back from patrolling the perimeter!"

Inside the helmet he breathed a tiny sigh of relief at her quickness, only for his eyes to freeze when they landed on the discharger glove she openly wore. His eyes flicked up to see her staring at him as well, having just realised the same thing.

"And what is that on your hand? One of those non-bender weapons?!"

"I- I use it to lightningbend, sir!" Asami quickly made herself stammer a little, putting a cringe on for good measure.

"Hmph. Pity you haven't learned the pure way." His beefy arm shot through the space between them, pointing a muscle-bound finger at the door. "Now get in there and I won't report you to Oranis!"

The muscly Agni Kai turned to leave, grumbling under his breath as he froze in place, his head cocked at the sound of laughing and chatting somewhere else in the factory. He threw a glare over his shoulder at them, rolled his shoulders and cracked his knuckles before disappearing into the tunnels.

He let got of the breath he had been holding the entire time.

Mako heard a clang behind him and managed to turn around in the armor, watching as Asami threatened to crash headfirst into the wall the weight of her armor overwhelmed her. He somehow managed to grab her around the chest and pull her steady. "Careful."

The spikes on the top of her helmet scraped against the bottom of his as a unimpressed grunt echoed from inside her helmet. "Whoever designed these never had to wear them."

Mako placed a finger to his faceplate as they approached the door. Opening it they were greeted with a utterly massive and dark hall, huge bronze pipes running everywhere on the floors and walls. In the central space a crowd of armored men and women eagerly focused their attentions on the two figures standing on the solid brass podium they gathered around.

His eyes narrowed at the sight of the iron chains dangling in the air over their heads.

Asami managed to notice and placed a hand on his shoulder. "What is it?"

Mako didn't answer, withdrawing into himself as Asami nodded and they reached the edge of the crowd. The closest Agni Kais turned to them, some waving or greeting them and others laughing at some joke made at their late arrival.

The two of them played the part, nodding and shaking their heads as best they could without having to make much sound.

On top of the podium, Kazon held up his hand to still the crowd. "My brothers and sisters. You have much to celebrate."

"Its hightime that Republic City, and the homeland, are placed back on the path."

The crowd was all but quiet as Kazon smiled, Oranis nodding eagerly next to him as he bowed his head with solemn purpose. Slowly he lifted his head. "Under Ozai's careful eye, we will carry out his will. We will free the people from the shadow of the usurpers! And we will lead them back to their rightful place in the world!"

"Ozai? He was going to torch everything!" Asami whispered in disbelief, staring at the Agni Kais around them as they cheered and roared in unison.

"Only one obstacle stands in our way. The dregs of Amon's revolution are gathering their strength in the shadows of Caldera, with the Usurpers charged with the protection of our people having done nothing against them! They haven't acted! While we work to change Republic City, my father's men will strike them before they strike us!"

"Equalists?" Mako hissed. He saw that Asami's eyes were wide behind the mask.

"He's leading them." she whispered. "He's in the Fire Nation."

He frowned, as the crowd clapped and cheered around them, getting the feeling that they weren't going to find out anything else. Slowly he started to edge away from the crowd, grabbing Asami's arm to rouse her while the crowd was otherwise engaged-

On the podium Kazon's eyes fell on him in a instant, piercing through the thick armor he wore. "Ms Sato. Mako. Welcome."

The crowd froze for a second as they all turned to look at them, starting to press in on them from every side. Mako and Asami both looked at each other as they took off their helmets, both looking up at Kazon and Oranis with a growl as they slowly pressed their backs together to cover all angles.

The core on her discharger glove pulsed with deadly energy as the air crackled around it and she spun a pair of bolas in her other hand, while he summoned his flames. Around them, too many flames to count sprang into existence, the firelight reflecting in Oranis's eager eyes as she stood on the edge of the podium to watch.

"I think its high time we dispose of the two of you."

The Agni Kais murmured their assent with Oranis, edging closer while Kazon stayed silent.

Breathing heavily, Mako's surveyed the angry faces, refusing to focus on the fact that they weren't getting out of this.

"Check it out. Grappling hook!" Mako raised his eyebrow at the sound of Bolin's boisterous shout echoing on the brass piping in the huge dim space. Asami gasped and pushed him back as a thick clawed head slammed into the concrete at their feet.

Mako looked upwards at the light suddenly being cast through the hole in the roof above. Bolin peered down, a nervous look quickly growing as he noticed the crowd of firebenders completely surrounding Asami and Mako. Uh... uh - oh my!"

"No time, winch em' up!" Varrick hissed in his ear.

Asami wrapped her arms around Mako's waist as flames started to spill at them from every direction, some getting close enough to singe the ends of her flowing hair as she guided Mako's hand to grab the knotted rope dangling from above.

As soon as they both held on the rope shot upwards, the space below them filling with fire as the various streams spilled into each other. Mako looked down at Kazon's scowl, before being forced to throw his hand out and deflect the fireballs being thrown up at them as the crowd shouted in anger.

The setting sun assaulted his eyes as the smog-filled air rushed into their lungs. Bolin hoisted him to his feet, while Varrick did the same for Asami. Without further ado they started running along the riveted roof plates as shouting filled the building beneath them.

"Thanks, bro. What's a grappling hook?!" Mako managed to gasp out as Bolin pulled him along, alongside him Asami shook her head.

"Not one of mine!"

Alongside Varrick grinned and laughed. "Its mine of course!"

Mako coughed and sputtered as the four of them dropped off the side of the roof, landing in the alley between the shed and the side of the factory and sprinting for the gate. Bolin put his shoulder to the closed gate, not even slowing down as the rusted metal chains securing it to the metal post completely snapped in two. Varrick clapped him on the shoulder as they barrelled out onto the street, making a beeline for Asami's car. "Nice muscle, kid!"

They piled into the back, and someone squeaked in surprise. "Sorry Zhu Li!"

"No worries, sir."

As Asami skidded to stop near the driver's door, she looked back to see Mako standing in the middle of the street fending off as many of the coming fireballs as he could. She called out to him. "Get in!"

The firebender glanced at her, before looking in the factory's direction with gritted teeth at the sight of Oranis and Kazon. Mako furrowed his eyebrows and swept one last sweep of flame at the closest Agni Kais before sprinting for the car, ducking and weaving around the fireballs being thrown at his back.

He slid over the bonnet and dived into the front seat, his head crunched painfully on the bottom of the seat while his legs dangled out of the open window. His eyes boggled as Asami accelerated the car, the wheels spewing smoke as the car shot out onto the street and away from the growing crowd of angry firebenders.

"Mako, you're safe! I love you! Can you not do that ever again, seriously I'll-"

His head ringing and vision swimming he focused on Bolin's hysteric tone, focusing on calming his breaths. "Okay... never again... so what did you want to tell me?"

* * *

_Royal Villa, Fire Lord's Palace._

Rin slowly scraped the polishing rock up and down the obsidian blade, taking care to avoid the crimson flame engraved near the bottom. With the saber balanced across her lap she finished using the black bock, switching the milky white one by her side and turning the sword edge-up to hone the edge.

She sat cross-legged on a cushion sitting on the floor of the balcony, overlooking a series of vibrant green lawns, perfectly cut and circular in shape with stone paths criss-crossing in every direction past bushes of flowers displaying every color in their brilliance. In the center of all this sat a still pond, dominated by the sculpted profile of a fierce dragon statue, water pouring from each of its four mouths into the pond.

Despite this the surface was completely still, only disturbed by the faint trails of large family of turtle-ducks left as they floated across the pond. She breathed a calming sigh and focused on them, as the doors leading into the family villa flew open behind her.

Korra stormed in, shoulders heaving and face furious while Zuko came to a stop behind Rin as the Avatar began to pace back and forth for a few moments..

"Father. Avatar." She looked over her shoulder and nodded at them. So how's the kid doing? That hit to his pride will take a while to recover."

"You nearly burned him alive!"

Rin shrugged as she carefully slid her saber back into a crimson scabbard. "If I truly meant to hurt him, girl, he wouldn't have lasted more than a minute out there. Calm down."

"Why did you challenge him?!"

"Needed to please the court with tradition. Especially Wu and those musty Fire Sages."

"You used him?" Korra advanced and jabbed her finger at Rin. "He's a person, not a tool-" Her growl was cut short by Rin's frank expression.

"I know exactly what he is. A perfect way to stop any dissent among the older members of the nobility. Now they'll will think twice about supporting Kazon's merry band of nutjobs. At least in the open."

Korra managed to look past the fact that Rin had nearly burnt her friend alive and focus on what she was saying. She shook her head and frowned, still holding a hateful look at the Fire Lord. "Wait, there's people that support the Agni Kais?"

Rin rolled her eyes. "They want a return to the good old days under my great-grandfather. A very vocal minority of nobility who happen to be in control of the bulk of my navy and army."

She blinked twice, unable to understand. "But you're the Firelord. They have to listen to you, don't they?"

Rin exchanged a look with Zuko. The old man's eyes narrowed for a brief moment as he turned to Korra. "They think I usurped the throne after Aang defeated Ozai. Wu especially."

Her eyes narrowed at the mention of Wu again. Korra shook her head, grumbling something under her breath before looking at Rin again. "So what do we do from here?"

"This is my family's villa. You will be staying here during your visit, Avatar. I'm sure you'll find it relaxing. I suggest you use your time here to reflect."

Slowly, deflated, Korra nodded. The doors behind her opened and a young woman dressed in simple robes poked her head out. She scurried out onto the balcony, clearing her throat and bowing to the three of them in turn. She looked up and gave Korra a tight smile. "Ms Avatar? Your quarters are prepared, if you'd like me to show you, we can also visit where your polar-bear dog is being housed?"

Korra glanced at Zuko. She bunched her fists, grinding her teeth as she clasped her hands and bowed to Rin. The girl turned on her heel, following the young woman back inside.

Once the doors closed behind her, Zuko spoke up. "Are you alright?"

Rin lowered her eyes and nodded with a soft whisper to her voice. "You know I'm not..." She glanced up at him. "He's definitely Anzo's kid. Got the same spark." she whispered.

Zuko frowned and squatted down, rubbing his daughter's shoulder without a word.

After a few moments he sighed. "Wu won't be happy to hear that you spared him. He'll try to use that against you with his allies."

His daughter managed to smirk. "I know."

* * *

_Gateway Wharf, Republic City._

Varrick rubbed his hands together, grinning with joy as he ran up the ramp with Zhu Li trailing behind him. "Oh, its wonderful to have you back with us, Zhu Li! I know you like the outdoors as much as I do!"

"Yes sir." Zhu Li adjusted her glasses as she followed him onto the deck, exchanging a quick exasperated look with Asami.

Bolin had his hands in his pockets as he wandered towards the front section of the deck, raising a eyebrow and turning to Varrick. "Didn't you have a plane here?"

Varrick stopped. His eyebrow twitched as he stared at Bolin with a strained expression. "Yes, here's where the plane was housed... if I still _had one_. Remember, the Agni Kais blew up my yacht! Had to rebuild her from scratch!"

"It looks exactly the same."

"It's a good design!"

As the eccentric inventor angrily paced back and on forth Bolin nodded in sympathy, turning and moving to where Mako sat on a bench near the deck's outer railing, still trying to regain his breath as he stared at the clunky-looking body of the grappling hook.

"So that was close." Bolin chuckled nervously as he sat down next to Mako. "What did you guys find in there?"

Mako glanced at him, blowing out a deep breath.

"Turns out my father and the Equalists are at the Fire Nation's capital. The Fire Lord doesn't even know."

Bolin arched a eyebrow and turned to Asami, standing there with her arms folded and her eyes on the floor. His face fell as he nodded. "Oh."

Having finished his grumbling, Varrick came over and folded his arms while Zhu Li stood by his side with a solemn expression. "Then we gotta motor to the Fire Nation right away. Ol' Iroh's already there as well as Korra. Oh, and that surly airbender too. It'll be fun in the sun!"

"Can we come up?" Varrick stopped and peered over the railing. Sensha and Boto stood on the pier in front of the gangplank.

He grinned. "Of course!"

Bolin and Mako turned to them as they stepped onto the deck. "Where were you two?"

"Letting Beifong know that we're going to the Northern Water Tribe. We need to let Unalaq know about Kerisa and Councilman Pok's involvement with the Red Monsoons."

Varrick rolled his eyes. "Oh." He wiggled his fingers. "Mr Spiritual."

Mako ignored him as he stood up and looked at Boto. "The monsoons are up to something?"

The tall waterbender nodded. "They've been up to something the entire time we've been busy with the Agni Kais and Telei. We think they're targeting Princess Eska to hold hostage."

"In that case." Mako pursed his lips and gave a nod to them both. "Good luck. Both of you."

The two of them shared a glance, their eyes not on him, but on Bolin.

Mako saw this. "What's up?"

"Uh..."

He turned. Bolin twiddled his fingers nervously, not looking Mako in the eye. "I'm going with them."

"You're not staying in Republic City?"

"Actually, no." Bolin saw the confused look on his brother and the encouraging one on Asami. Taking a deep breath he steadied himself. "Eska's in trouble. I have to help her. And I can't just stay here, where its - sort of - safe, while the rest of you go out and risk your lives."

"Okay. Be careful, little bro'."

Bolin took a breath to argue his point when he saw the smile on Mako. "Huh?"

"You don't need to convince me. I'll support you. Just... don't freeze to death up there, okay? I'll have to come up and thaw you out."

A huge grin broke out on Bolin. "Will do, Mako."

* * *

火


	15. The Fire's Trap, the Duty

**A/N**

Wow, so they really outdid themselves with Wan's story. Like, majorly so. So these next couple of chapters will both fully and partially resolve a few of the current side-plots going on, in preparation for the final events of the series. I apologize for the huge time length between releases, and I'm pretty sure the next one will be released much sooner than this one was.

So stay tuned. Please, tell me if I'm doing something wrong or if I can do something better, it really helps a ton. And don't forget to review and criticize.

* * *

火

* * *

_Royal Villa, Fire Nation._

Korra rubbed her eyes as she sat up in the bed, loosing a tired breath as she swung her legs over the side and felt the warmth of the wooden floorboards flow up her bare feet. A pout flitted across her features for a moment as the heavenly warmth of the light sheets began to leave her.

She looked around the well-lit and spacious bedroom and its crimson walls for a moment before standing up and moving to a small dresser sitting just under a large circular window. Korra grabbed her fur-skirt and looped it around her waist, before bending down and pulling on her boots, staying to lace them up before making her way towards the door.

Going out into a hallway filled with old-style paintings of men and women wearing huge and often intimidating robes, she stopped a moment near a closed door only a short distance from hers. She grimaced as she raised her hand to knock, only to sigh and drop her hand before making her way down the length of the hall.

Her hands tightened into fists as she tried to convince herself that he would be fine. Korra shook her head as she took the stairs down two at a time, ending up in a large entry hall with a ornate circular entryway sitting in front of her, open to the outside.

The huge profile of the palace loomed in over the wide and open lake the villa sat next to. Once again awed by the stunningly vast and ancient structure, she made her way from the Villa, following a path that wound around the side and through a series of grassy lawns shaped like flames flowing around one another.

Korra finally found who she was looking for at the top of a ramp, sitting by himself in the shade of a large tree, its boughs sagging with full and vibrant leaves. Some of the sun's light hit the leaves, dappling the ground in shadow and light beneath it's shade.

Zuko sat cross-legged on the soft grass, eyes closed as he breathed regular breaths.

"I hate mornings." She mumbled as she sat next to him, drawing her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on them, blinking like a owl.

Zuko cracked a eye open and glanced at her, his shoulders rising gently as he took a deep breath. "So I've heard."

She made a unimpressed face as the old man laughed, picking at the grass poking out from under her feet. "It's a nice spot."

"One of my uncle's favorite places to collect his thoughts."

"Iroh?" Korra blinked twice at a strange feeling that had just surfaced, before dismissing it as Zuko nodded.

Korra watched as the old man closed his eyes and took another deep breath. She looked up at the fiery clouds criss-crossing the sky, slowly brightening as the sun continued to rise. "So, Tai isn't meditating with us?"

"I think its best for you two to meditate separately for a while. Calmer environment."

She dipped her head and frowned at the memory of Tai's flames. "Yeah." Korra frowned for a few seconds before looking up at him. "Zuko. Why didn't you do anything when Rin challenged Tai to the Agni Kai?"

"Korra, if there was another way, I would have taken it." The old man slowly looked over at her, his shoulders sagging a little. "Rin wanted to challenge him ever since they met at the National Gala before the Agni Kai attack. And the Agni Kai worked to show the royal court that she still valued tradition." He sighed. "A Agni Kai was also the quickest way to show that his firebending is out of control and unrestrained. He needs to learn how to control his emotions."

"Yeah. I kinda have the same problem." Korra murmured, remembering how her own flames wouldn't work. She furrowed her eyebrows and lit a fireball in her hand, just to make sure. "You've said that firebending is driven by emotion."

"To a extent. It relies more on the source of that emotion. Whether it be passion, anger. Love. Any one of them fuels a firebender's drive to achieve their goal. And any one of them can disrupt your control over the flames."

Korra was silent.

Zuko didn't say anything for a few moments, simply studying her expression until he took a deep breath and pushed his palms together. "Now. Let's meditate."

Slowly she nodded. Clasping her hands together she took a few deep breathes and closed her eyes, shutting out what noise she could and slowing her thoughts. She found difficulty in stopping them from focusing on anything else but calm, trying to maintain a picture of gently flowing water and crashing waves. After a few minutes of this constant tug and pull, a itch surfaced on her shoulder and she just had to scratch it, breaking her concentration.

Looking over at Zuko, she saw he still sat the same way he had started in. Her face fell as she realised meditation just wasn't coming to her. "Okay, how can you sit like that without even moving?"

"If there's anything I learned from chasing Aang all over the world, it's probably my infinite patience and calm..." In the distance Naga started barking and a group of scared turtle-ducks quacked in terror, the noise putting a strained look on Zuko.

After a few seconds he loosed a sigh and glanced over at Korra. "Maybe we should just skip the meditation and work on some firebending." Zuko stood up, to Korra's curiosity.

She turned to watch him walk out from under the cover of the tree. "Uh, where are you going?"

"Preparing some aids for today's lesson. I won't be long. Try to meditate until I get back." The old man moved down the hill and onto the path winding through the fire-shaped lawns. Korra nodded to herself and turned back to focusing inward.

That again failed when she heard footsteps coming up the hill from the side in front of her. She opened her eyes, narrowing them at the sight of Wu bowing to her. "Avatar. In my opinion the Fire Nation agrees with you."

She glanced over her shoulder to see that Zuko had already gone back inside the villa, getting to her feet and folding her arms. "You've got a lot of nerve talking to me, Wu."

Wu stiffened. "I will be brief."

Korra gritted her teeth. "Out with it."

"A meeting, if you will, being hosted by my fellow Fire Sages on their island. I'd like to extend a invitation to you as the Avatar, we'd be honored to include in our... talks."

"Not interested. I'm training with Zuko."

"But of course. This won't cut into something so important to you. It will only be a few hours. The Fire Nation's nobility wants to meet you, Korra."

"Why would I go anywhere with you, you sold my friend out to the Dai Li! I don't care if you saved those hostages from the Agni Kais, I don't care that you're some bigshot in the Fire Nation!"

"As the Grand Sage, I can help you get into the Spirit World, to do your duty."

"My duty? I-"

"As the Grand Sage you directly serve the Fire Lord , Wu. Do you want me to tell her you said that?" Korra looked over her shoulder, stepping out of the way as Zuko approached and stopped in front of Wu. "Because I will. Now leave us."

"Hmph." Wu looked at him and then at Korra. "Avatar. What is your decision?"

Korra took a step forward and shook her head. "The answer is no."

For a moment, a dark fiery glint surfaced in Wu's golden eyes before he stiffly nodded. "As you wish... interesting decision, for the Fire Lord to spare the boy. Were she not representing her loyal subject in the Agni Kai, I would have honored the old ways."

Zuko narrowed his eyes, and Korra saw the old man's hands flex a little. She herself directed a scowl at Wu, taking a step closer when Zuko grabbed her wrist. The old man narrowed his eyes. "My daughter has her reasons. Accept them."

For a few seconds, Wu didn't say anything as the wind picked up, rustling the leaves of the tree the three of them stood under. "However misguided they are." He inclined his head and bowed to Korra. "Avatar. Your answer disappoints me, but I will not attempt to change it." The old man barely suppressed the scowl that came on when he looked at Zuko. "Always a pleasure."

"Happy to oblige." Zuko muttered, his eyes on Wu the entire time as the old man turned to leave the little hill without another word.

Korra came over, standing next to Zuko. "It took all I had to stop myself from-"

"I know."

* * *

_Chieftain's Palace, Northern Water Tribe._

Bolin and Sensha basked in the surprising warmth of the icy room, while next to them Boto stood still with a little smirk playing on his lips at their discomfort.

Desna and Eska both sat on a couch in the middle of the large room, silent while their father watched the city.

Unalaq glanced at the three of them with a hand stroking his pointed chin, turning from the giant oval-shaped opening from which he had been staring out at the clusters of icy and pale buildings that stretched out for a great distance below, huge channels of clear blue water forming their borders from each other while arched bridges connected them.

The concentric stretch of buildings continued for a long while until giving way to a large and almost featureless field of ice, various docks and piers jutting out from its edge into the still waters sitting before the monolithic ice wall that stretched from either side of the icy cliffs the city was surrounded by.

"The city looks peaceful, but as of late the dark spirits have been sighted on its outskirts and out at sea." Unalaq clasped his hands behind his back. "I am saddened to see that Korra didn't accompany you. She's never seen the South's sister tribe. And now, more than ever we could have used her help."

Bolin chuckled nervously and scratched his neck. "Yeah, she's kinda in the Fire Nation right now."

Unalaq nodded at him. "Hmm, that's a shame. As guests of my family, you are free to move wherever you wish across the city, and whatever you desire, simply ask one of the servants."

"Father." He looked over at Eska, who was looking straight at him with a unwavering gaze. For a moment doubt flicked across his features. Unalaq glanced with unease at Bolin before stopping by her and giving her a nod. "You don't have much time."

"Uh..." Eska stood up and walked straight towards him.

"Come with me."

"Okay." He smiled at her and at Boto and Sensha, who both exchanged curious glances as Eska led him out of the room into the icy hallways. "Uh,see you guys later, I guess!"

Pabu's squeaks echoed into the room for a few seconds.

Unalaq stood still as a statue for a few moments until he turned to Boto. "We'll talk about the Red Monsoons."

"Desna. While I am discussing matters with Lieutenant Boto, can you show Sensha around the palace?"

Desna immediately stood up and bowed to him. "Of course, father." He watched as Unalaq led Boto out of the room, quickly leaving only him and Sensha.

"That's a strange welcome." Sensha wondered out aloud, her voice echoing slightly off the icy walls. She grimaced as she moved towards the grey seal-skin couch, sitting on the edge of it and glancing up at Desna. He still hadn't moved, looking at the doorway where Unalaq and Boto had left through with narrowed eyes.

"Father has been acting strange lately."

She arched a eyebrow, watching as he glanced at her. "Maybe he's stressed?"

"Father doesn't get stressed."

The curtness of his answer surprised her as he sat down on the couch as well, rubbing his chin and staring at one of the icy walls. He glanced at her with a sigh. "My apologies. I shouldn't be burdening you with this."

"It's okay, I'm not, uh..." She cracked a little smile at the prince, trying to get him to loosen up. "Burdened."

Desna gave a rigid nod, eyes flicking to the floor. "I'm worried about my sister."

Sensha grimaced. "Why?"

It took a uncharacteristically long time for Desna to answer.

"Father's been forced to drastic measures to address the anger our tribe has incurred from the spirits..." Desna frowned before putting on a guarded expression. "Eska will be communing with them at the Spirit Oasis tomorrow, during the Summer Solstice." Desna went quiet, getting a worried look from her. "I don't know what will happen." He whispered.

* * *

_Royal Garden, Inner Caldera._

The light from the setting sun struck the leaves of the trees around them, filtering down as a dappled pattern of shadows and light on the soft grassy knoll they stood on, overlooking the banks of the royal lake with the Fire Lord's palace in the distance.

Ta's flame flickered as he furrowed his eyebrows, his tongue stuck out as his eyes tracked it flowing from where it floated above his palm up his arm, the stream following every variation in his arm. He looked over at Zuko, thinking that firebending training entailed actual firebending rather than just guiding a flame around. "So what's the point of this?"

Zuko responded by nudging the underside of his outstretched arm, leveling it a little. He glanced at Tai. "Control."

Tai sighed, furrowing his brow and focusing on the fiery eddies the flame left behind as it made a circuit over and below his arm, constantly leaving a warm sensation on his exposed skin. He focused on losing himself and clearing his thoughts in the soft orange mass, only to grumble as those very same thoughts kept him from doing so.

"What was that?"

He blinked and shook his head at Zuko's curious expression. "Nothing."

The old man gave a nod and continued walking around him, humming a ponderous series of notes, his tone soft and gentle.

Tai raised a eyebrow at the way Zuko seemed to have completely lost track of him and retreated into himself, oblivious to nothing but the notes of the soft tune he hummed. The boy's skin started prickled a little as the notes lengthened a little while growing softer, a faint memory coming up at the familiar series of sounds. He shook his head again as the flowing flame ebbed and bucked a little in his lapse of focus.

Zuko's eyes flicked up and looked at him. The old man stopped. "Good." He gave a nod. "You can release it now."

The boy nodded, expelling a breath and shaking out his arms as the flowing flame disappeared into thin wisps. Tai raised a eyebrow at the black strip of cloth Zuko held out to him. "Put this over your eyes."

"... Okay." Tai grabbed the fabric, winding it around his eyes and tying it off until he saw nothing but a cool blackness.

He heard Zuko moving away, stopping after a short distance. "Now, practice some basic punches. Keep your focus and calm."

"Just punches?"

"Yes."

Tai breathed out and began moving in a faint circular trail on the grassy knoll, lifting his hands up, keeping his movements slow and steady. He flicked his wrist and a small puff of flame shot into the air, followed by another, and another as he traveled in a continuous circuit, flowing from one direction to the other while flicking out flame after flame into the open air, occasionally spooking a bird or two.

"Now kick."

He nodded, still continuing the circle as he snapped his leg out at random intervals, producing a brief but fierce burst of flame with each kick. He found himself moving a little faster, throwing a few punches and flicks in for good measure before finishing with a mighty sweep of his leg, producing a expanding wave of fire at waist level.

The flames dissipated well before they could reach Zuko at the edge of the clearing. "That's enough. You can take it off now." Tai blinked against the light as he took the blindfold off, looking over at Zuko.

"Anything else?"

"We'll continue tomorrow. I know you're used to a faster pace in your training, but for we'll stick to the basics for now."

"Yeah... I'll meet you back at the villa."

Zuko glanced at him. "You're staying?"

Tai nodded quickly, staring at the ground. "Just a little while longer... I need to work on my control. Right?"

The old man chuckled. "I suppose you do." He smiled. "I'll be up at the palace for a few hours. And Korra is still out with Naga. So take your time."

He turned to leave, heading up the path winding through the trees beyond the clearing. The birds in the canopy squawked and chittered above him as he stood there, silently listening to them with his eyes closed. A grimace settled on his features as he breathed outward, and lifted his hand up.

Rolling his shoulders, he jabbed forwards, launching a small fireball and watching it land on the ground nearby, scorching the grass. He moved forwards, practicing several thrusting movements, focused jabs, and sweeping kicks, launching flames in all directions.

The light danced in his eyes constantly, making his senses focus on nothing but the flames, ignoring his own heavy breathing as his movements started to lag after a few straight minutes of constant movement.

With a ragged grunt he finally released the last flame out into the air, watching it stream upwards before glancing at his outstretched palm and concentrating as a thought came to mind. He furrowed his eyebrows as he felt the air constrict and expand over his palm, starting to rapidly spin itself into a solid spherical mass.

The ball of air made a huge buzzing noise as it sat on his hand, completely drowning out everything else making a noise in the garden. He gritted his teeth as he held his other hand over the spinning ball, grunting as sparks flickered to life in the interior of the miniature maelstrom.

Finally a flame flickered to life in the center of the sphere, and tinges of a smile appeared on his features. He released the air gradually, watching as the ball tore itself apart, blowing his hair around as the wind inside was released.

The flame winked out as he opened and closed his palm.

He stared up at the canopy, noticing how dark it was getting. Tai started walking up the path Zuko had left on, feeling a little impressed that his flames hadn't acted up even once during the entire session, that he himself didn't even get angry.

The path continued ahead as he followed it, spotting the outer wall surrounding the villa through the thick treeline. He picked up the pace, going into a brisk jog along the cobbled stones. As he approached the edge of the garden he spotted a flicker of movement in the corner of his eye.

Dismissing it as a owl-hawk or beaver-duck, he paid it no mind.

He came out of the trees, now moving across a completely and open and featureless span of stone separating the edge of the villa from the garden. Tai had his eyes on the front gate, seeing that it was closed. He glanced upwards, thinking of just airbending himself over the wall when he caught sight of a lone figure standing on the roof of the villa, looking into one of the windows on the upper level.

Tai scowled before glancing at the ground, aiming his palm down to launch himself onto the wall with a quick pulse of wind. He bent his knees to absorb the impact, keeping low in case the figure heard him land.

The boy kept his sights on the edge of the roof just below the level the figure stood on, aiming his hand behind him and pushing at the air. The wind rushed past his ears as he landed with the tiles clicking under his feet.

He acted quickly as the fire nation soldier whipped around at the sound, eyes widening as he tried to run, only to slip and stumble. Tai growled as he launched himself at the guy, pushing him into the wall next to the window, glancing into it and noticing Korra's hip flask sitting on top of the bed within. His eyes flicked back to the young soldier. "Start talking!"

"I-"

A scowl surfaced as he took in the crimson armor the young man wore, looking him over and spotting the fire nation emblem on his shoulder. "I'm guessing the Agni Kais sent you, huh?"

"No- I'm not with them. I'm just a private with the army. A scout! Look - I've got orders from the Fire Sages! Wu wants-"

Tai narrowed his eyes. "Wu, huh? Where is he?"

The young man gulped as Tai's hands tightened on his collar. "Their island! A big meeting!"

His eyes darted to the sides. Tai pushed his face closer. "There's more of you out there. How many?"

"A entire squad, we've got the villa surrounded, so if anything happens to me-" He yelped as Tai dropped him and he slid down the wall, scrambling to move when Tai planted a foot on his chest and squatted over him. He caught sight of a handheld on the soldier's belt. "Call them and say that she isn't here. And then you're going to walk away before Zuko comes back."

"Z- Zuko?"

"The one and only." Tai said, conveniently leaving out the part where Zuko was still going to be gone for a few hours at most. "Oh, and you never saw me."

He stood up, keeping his eyes on the soldier as he scrambled towards the edge of the roof, hopping off it and speaking furiously into his handheld, throwing worrying glances back at the boy.

As the soldier left, Tai kept his eyes on the outskirts of the villa, moving into the shadows offered by the roof awning behind him. He spotted movement among the garden's treeline, watching as the young soldier hurriedly sprinted into the safety of the trees.

He waited a couple minutes, until he was certain that the soldiers were gone.

Tai stared out over the lake at the Fire Lord's palace in the distance, then down to the shed nestled next to the inner wall of the villa where Naga's saddle sat. His eyes settled on the black sheath hanging on a nearby hook, a grimace surfacing on him for a few seconds until it gave way to a determined nod.

* * *

"And do you think that some of them are here in the city?'

"I believe so. They can operate far more easily here than they could in Republic City."

"And you said their plans involve Eska?"

Boto nodded.

"Disturbing." Unalaq uncrossed his legs, breathing outwards as he stood up, stepping away from the deep blue cushion and moving to the balcony railing.

He shifted around for a few seconds, before shaking his head and taking a step forward. "Chief, I want to know if you have anything to tell me about the Red Monsoons. As most of them are from the Northern Water Tribe, you must have some knowledge of what they are."

"I do." Boto watched as Unalaq looked out over the city, his back turned to him. "How do you know Korra, lieutenant?"

Boto blinked twice. "Uh, I grew up in Sifu Katara's village near the White Lotus Compound. My father trained as a healer under her guidance."

"His name?"

"Kurso, but we need to be-" He stopped at the look of surprise on Unalaq.

"I never knew he had children. Then again, I never expected Tonraq to either."

"... I'm not following. We need to talk about the Monsoons, if they have any-"

Unalaq rubbed his chin, silent as his footsteps echoed on the icy floor of the balcony. "Kurso was a soldier under our father. Both he and Tonraq commanded the men of the Northern Water Tribe during the barbarian attacks."

"My father was a general?"

"Him and Tonraq were good friends. After my father banished my brother from the North, Kurso also left shortly after. When I became Chief, I learned about his involvement in Republic City's criminal empire. With a man named Yakone."

Boto frowned, thoughts whirling at the idea of his father, the gentle and kind man that raised him in the South Pole, could have ever been part of a organization led by_ Yakone._ He shook his head to clear them from his head, instead focusing all of his energies on the other part of what Unalaq said, forgetting about the Red Monsoons. "I'm sorry. Tonraq was banished? I never knew he was from the North."

"Yes." "In fact it is my belief that his... mistake... may have been what originally incurred the wrath of the spirits on our tribe."

"Does Korra know?"

Unalaq gave a stiff nod. "She does."

He tried to keep his bearing, to stop himself from focusing on the fact that his father might have been a bloodbender. And that Korra's own dad might have been the cause for the spirits to be angry. He shook his head and expelled a deep breath. "Do you know anything about Rorik?"

"Only that he was one of Yakone's most bloodthirsty lieutenants. He had a rivalry of sorts with Kurso. When Avatar Aang defeated Yakone, his empire collapsed, forcing many of his subordinates into hiding from Toph Beifong and her metalbenders. Only one of these remnants remain in the city today."

"The Red Monsoons." Boto breathed.

"And you have cause to believe they're planning something involving my daughter?"

He nodded. "It looks that way, Chief. Uh, one more thing. Do you know if Kurso had any children? Or family?"

"No. His parents died during the barbarian attacks, and he was a only child. And I haven't heard if he has any children. He was a angry... and solitary man."

Boto's frown deepened as he clasped his hands together and bowed. "Thank you, Chief Unalaq... I - I think I need to clear my head."

* * *

_Royal Villa, Inner Caldera._

Korra came to a stop and blinked at the sight of a huge and garish dragon with googly eyes walking past her, dozens of pairs of feet poking out from underneath it. Naga growled and barked at the strange costume, spooking the people underneath.

She quickly pulled her away from the dragon as some of the performers underneath poked their heads out to peer at her and the polar-bear dog. "Sorry, she just got spooked!"

The team of performers slowly nodded, ducking back under the gold and crimson dragon without a word and going on their way as Korra gave Naga a unimpressed look. The look Naga gave back deflated her. Korra gave her a scratch behind the ear as she led over the top of a footbridge. "I'll take you word for it."

With the sun finally setting behind the cusp of the caldera the inner city sat on top of, the stars were beginning to show in the gradually darkening sky, now a soft purple and pink rather than a blazing orange, and turning the waters of the vast lake she walked the edge of into a serene vista.

Up ahead the walls of the villa came into sight, the whitewashed stone of the rectangular outer wall standing out in the calm grassy surroundings, although it paled in comparison to the flanged spires of the Fire Lord's palace on the other side of the lake, sitting in the middle of a vast circular bed of volcanic rock, surrounded by a wall which in turn was surrounded by five towers.

Moving away from the sight and roused by Naga's curious whine, she ushered her along towards the wrought-iron gates of the villa, stopping the polar-bear dog and moving in front of her to pull the gate open.

Leading Naga in behind her, Korra used a blast of air to push the gate shut behind her, turning away from the entryway and leading her along the flank of the villa.

She left Naga to pad towards the hay-covered floor of the little shed, noticing a loose shoelace on her boot. Korra bent down to tighten it, wondering where everyone was when Naga barked once.

"Huh?" Korra straightened and move to the stable, placing a hand on Naga's shoulder as she passed by. "You're not still scared of shark-rats are you, it's probably-" she stopped in her tracks when she saw the interior, focusing on Naga's saddle that she had draped over a post at the back.

Her eyes fell on the loosened leather loops limply hanging off of the saddle's side. Naga craned her neck to look at her with her head tilted. The polar-bear dog moved forwards, lowering her head and poking her snout under the saddle and at the leather loops. She barked once and backed out of the shed, looking upwards at the roof.

Korra stared at the space where she had stowed Tai's sword. She glanced around, running out of the stable to look at the completely darkened windows on the villa above. Korra narrowed her eyes, thoughts whirling.

"Korra? Is everything alright?"

She turned around at Naga's bark, to see Zuko near the front gate. He came over as she stared at the shed. "Tai's sword is gone. And the villa's empty, I just got back." Her thoughts went back to what Wu said that morning and she felt a chill down her spine, and a anger inside her.

Zuko's eyes narrowed. "I know where he's gone. We need a boat."

* * *

_Northern Water Tribe Canals._

Bolin's mouth dropped as he peered over the side, Pabu doing the same from his perch on the earthbender's shoulder. "Wow." he breathed, staring into the absolutely clear surface of the water, reflecting every single star in the cold night sky above with absolute clarity, only disturbed by the soft strokes of the gondola's oarman. He peered upwards, a little smile on him.

"The stars are _so_ clear here."

Next to him, Eska nodded stiffly, unable to help the ghost of a smile. "Yes."

He didn't notice as he settled back into his seat, blowing into his hands to get a little warmth in them. Bolin still had his eyes skyward, completely silent and still as he just watched them sitting up there, completely unused to them being so vivid, especially after being in Republic City. Not even the South Pole's sky had been so clear. He frowned, remembering that most of his time was spent in the middle of a huge spiritual blizzard, and watching over Korra.

The bad thoughts disappeared as a single question came to mind. He looked over at Eska. "Hey, where are the lights?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Y'know, the northern lights. Aren't they supposed to show up?"

Bolin looked down and at her, just in time to catch a brief flicker of doubt across her features before she gave a tight smile. "... They will soon."

She stared down at her lap for a few moments, glancing up as the icy buildings on the street running next to the canal gave way to a large raised platform sitting on the corner of a canal intersection. On top of it a small field of lush grass flourished, gently waving in the wind while a huge tree stood over them. "Stop here." she said abruptly.

Behind her the oarman nodded and shifted his paddle, bringing the thin white hull in towards a hitching post standing next to a footbridge up ahead. Bolin felt the bump as it came to a stop. Eska stood up without a word, nodding to the oarman and moving towards the prow.

Bolin quickly followed, giving a thumbs up to the oarman just before he disembarked and followed her up the steps to the streetside. "Eska? Where are we going?"

The princess stopped and pointed at the platform and the tree, before moving ahead, towards a series of carved steps winding around the ice platform and stopping at the top.

Pabu chittered on his shoulder as he came to the steps, trying to catch up to her. Coming to the top, she was already seated on a pale white bench under the eaves of the tree. He grimaced, a eyebrow raised as he approached. Pabu hopped down into his hands as he gingerly sat down next to her. "Eska?"

She didn't stir, only staring out at the waters of the canals separating the other districts of the city. He shuffled closer. "Eska, what's-" A squeak came out of him and Pabu as Eska pulled him towards her. His eyes flew open as his lips brushed against hers, wondering if he could even get out of her abnormally strong grip before his instincts took over.

Eska had her eyes closed the entire time. Suddenly she drew back, staring down at her lap.

Without any time to even process what just happened, Bolin froze, unsure of what to do. Finally he found his voice. "So... you don't look happy." Bolin said, his voice quiet.

"I shouldn't have let myself do that." She turned her shoulder to him, looking away.

"What-"

"I haven't told you the full reason for why I had to come back to the Northern Water Tribe." Her eyes settled on his. "I haven't been truthful with you." Eska's voice went quiet, putting further questions in his head.

Bolin gently touched her sleeve. "I'm just happy to be here, so-" He stopped at the look of utter guilt on her.

"I returned north because my tribe needs me." She put on a mask, looking out over the water. "The Dark Spirits are getting out of control."

His thoughts went back to the encounter in the Everstorm, remembering just how terrified he was and how it was impossible to even hurt them. He suppressed a shudder, shaking his head and clenching his jaw. He nodded.

Eska turned back to him, keeping her hands on her lap as she took a deep breath. "Without Korra to talk to the spirits, my father needs me to substitute for her... It's what I was born for."

His eyes widened a little. "When?" he whispered, face paling at the thought of her even being near those nasty things.

"Tomorrow... I'm worried."

"Princess Eska." Bolin jumped on the seat, watching as Eska stood up and moved to the edge of the grassy platform. He stood up as well, seeing a group of Water Tribe guards standing on the street, their faces stern. "It's time. You need to conserve your strength for tomorrow."

"Hey, wait a moment, she gets a choice whether she wants to do this!" The guards stared at him with narrowed eyes, hands dropping to their hip flasks. Eska grabbed his hand.

"Bolin. Please." He glanced at the look of worry on her, realizing that it was entirely directed at him.

Slowly he lowered his hand, pushing the tips of his fingers together as she bowed her head and headed towards the steps.

"Look. I'll talk to your dad! I'll try and talk him out of doing this to you!"

Eska stopped and turned to him, offering a small smile. "... I'll be fine Bolin."

The look in her eyes said the exact opposite.

* * *

火


	16. The Sinking Ember, the Blood Moon

**A/N**

I particularly loved doing this chapter. Especially because a lot happens in it! Now, sorry for the lack of Mako, Asami and Verick, they'll feature in the next chapter a little more, but Korra and Bolin's stuff is definitely taking priority here.

So, please review. Please criticize.

* * *

火

* * *

_Bhanti Island, Fire Nation._

The young Fire Sage adjusted his hat as he squatted down and brushed sand from a rock. He scrunched up his face and peered out at the calm ocean, glancing up at the soft purplish clouds, trying to ignore the angular fire navy cruisers, frigates and pleasure barges sitting off the coast. "Have we ever found anyone on these walks?"

His companion stopped in her tracks with a sigh, a naked flame in her hand lighting up the area around as she glanced at the old Fire Sage next to her and pulled a face. "Knock it off, Jia."

Their older companion continued to walk along the beach, hands behind his back.

"I'm serious. You often hear about people washing up on the other islands around here, drunk from a pleasure cruise, so what do we do if one of them ends up here? What if they hit their head and lost their memory?"

"Then we take them to the healer. And it's a breath of fresh air from being around those soldiers and nobles. Keep walking."

"Fine. So you were saying that your grandmother was friends with the Dragon of the West-"

"Are you two coming?"

"Sorry Karu!"

The elder of the three Fire Sages loosed a sigh as the two of them rejoined him and continued walking the length of the beach, soon disappearing among the rocky crags at its farthest edge.

Out in the distance the water churned underneath his feet as Tai balanced on two spheres of wind spinning rapidly in opposite directions from each other, his eyes narrowed and mind focused despite the roar of the wind tearing at the water below him as he sped towards the empty beach ahead.

A group of birds perched on a nearby cluster of rocks squawked in alarm at his arrival, taking flight as he released the spheres and launched himself upwards, sailing completely over the soft white sands of the beach and barreling headlong into the tangled treeline.

He kept his chin close to his chest, using his arms as shields as a flurry of leaves, twigs and branches assaulted him in his descent. The leafy damp undergrowth of the forest rushed up to meet him as he lowered his arms and pointed his palms downwards, blasting twin streams of wind to slow himself down.

Tai dropped to the forest floor with a grunt, rolling to absorb some of the impact. He breathed out a sigh of relief now that he was on solid ground, reaching a hand over his shoulder to tug at his sheath's straps and make sure they weren't loose.

"I really should have brought the glider with me." he muttered, shaking his head and taking off at a jog. He hopped over a few logs before hearing some voices echoing on the tree trunks around him, and a warm glow moving through the trees to his side.

He pressed himself to the back of the nearest and thickest tree, peering around it at a trio of people with huge conical crimson hats walking through the brush. Waiting until they had gone he continued on, avoiding a few boarcupines making their homes in the brush until the treeline gave way to a completely open field of grass, home to a collection of sturdy looking stone buildings.

His view of the area in front of him was obscured by a low and squat building, more of a shelter than anything substantial. He moved towards it, mindful of the Fire Nation soldiers scattered among the buildings before a great mass of shaggy white lumbered to view in front of him. Tai scrambled backwards as the Sky Bison walked around the side of the little building, realising it hadn't even noticed him.

Stuffing any questions as to why there was a sky bison on a Fire Nation island he kept as low as he could and stayed close to its flank, using it as cover as it slowly lumbered out past the little building and into the center of the clearing.

Even more astounding than the very old blocky buildings scattered through the open space was the herd of sky bison silently grazing the grass in the center of the clearing. Tai blinked twice, still moving with the sky bison as his eyes fell on one of the larger buildings on the opposite side, torches situated all over it at regular intervals with Fire Nation soldiers manning the various balconies and entryways into the structure.

A group of Fire Nation soldiers came into view, making their way into the lit opening of the building, pausing a moment while the old man in the center of them adjusted his sleeves. Tai's eyes narrowed.

Suddenly the sky bison stopped in its tracks and swung its ponderous head to look at him. He froze for a few seconds, until it sneezed and lowered its head to eat at the grass. Tai crept forward, scratching its ear just as he heard a series of shrill squeaks behind him.

He turned around to see a little sky bison, its eyes huge and curious as it sat there with its head tilted at him, little black stubs for horns on its head. It watched him without blinking as its thick and heavy tail thudded up and down on the ground.

Tai rolled his eyes at it and turned around, bending low to the ground and working out a path to the temple. "Look, you're really cute and all and I'm sure Ikki would probably give you some sugary name or something, but I can't stick around so -" The little sky bison rumbled and lunged forwards, wrapping its six legs around his leg and making him fall flat into the grass. "Hey!" he hissed. The baby sky bison had its tongue out with a dopey look on it.

Next to him the adult sky bison glanced down at him, before snorting and going back to grazing. He grunted with the effort of pushing the baby sky bison off of him, glancing at the adult's broken horn before getting to his feet. "Not now! I'll come back or something, just not now!"

The sky bison rolled onto its stomach, its tongue still hanging out of its mouth. It crawled forwards, before he held up his hand. The baby sky bison squeaked once and moved off somewhere else, leaving him free to weave his way through the lumbering maze of giants.

Some of them rumbled at his approach, and others bumped into him with their shoulders, putting a scowl on him and making him miss Oogi a little. Coming to the edge of the herd, his eyes fell on the second level of the temple ahead, focusing on the square ledge jutting out above the entrance below.

Spinning his hand behind him he waited for the sentries below to begin moving before launching into the early night air, eyes widening at the Fire Nation soldier walking into view from behind a column, stopping right where he was aiming for. Tai crashed into the oblivious woman, knocking her out cold before she even hit the floor.

Straightening he wasted no time and left her behind, heading into the rough-hewn stone passage ahead, his boots echoing a little on the square walls. The passage darkened ahead. He looked over his shoulder at a torch sitting in a bracket near the start of the passage. Holding out his hand he concentrated, pulling the flame to him and holding it in his palm.

Tai continued on, navigating by the light of his self-made torch until he came to a intersection of identical tunnels, with the one straight ahead opening out into a a dark space with voices and movement carrying to him from within, partially lit by a ghostly blue glow.

"I know you've all travelled a long way. And my Fire Sages will honor you and your men with their hospitality."

His eyes narrowed and his breathing quickened as he stepped out onto a boxed balcony, looking over it at the circle of men and woman below, dressed in black or red armor or highly stylized robes as they sat on the ground, surrounding a lone figure standing in front of a shining maw of ghostly blue light, a wooden post standing on either side with a length of rope hanging between them.

He focused on the strange hole, thinking he could see what looked to be ice within its depths. His spine crawled at the memory of being in that glacier at the South Pole, remembering the burning eyes of the dark spirit.

"The Avatar declined my invitation to attend this meeting. As it is, this changes our goal."

Tai watched as Wu scanned the circle of nobles and generals. "Our Fire Lord recently held a Agni Kai with my would-be assassin. Naturally she defeated him with her impressive blue flames."

"What of it?" One of the nobles stood up, his arms folded and face uninterested.

Wu glanced at him. "She spared him, defying the traditions of the Fire Nation yet again."

He gritted his teeth, reaching a hand over his shoulder when he heard a soft rasping noise behind him. Tai whirled around just as a thickheaded arrow shot past his shoulder, sailing out over the chamber and hitting the opposite wall on the far side with a loud scraping ring.

"There!" A wall of fire rushed down the tunnel towards him, quickly he whipped his hands up, trying to deflect the bulk of the heat away from him as the main force of it slammed him over the railing towards the room below.

The gathered nobles shouted in alarm as he tumbled to a heap in the center of the chamber, his landing creating a echo. Tai went to rise, only to get grabbed from behind by two pairs of hands, being hoisted to his feet by two masked soldiers.

In front of him, Wu scowled. "Disarm him."

He struggled in their grip as another soldier approached, producing a thin jet of flame over his hand and slicing through the straps holding his sheath to his back. It fell to the floor, being scooped up by the soldier.

"I see you made it, half-breed. I wouldn't move a muscle if I were you, these are the Yu Yan archers... they have experience with containing airbenders."

"An airbender?"

"Here?"

"What's the meaning of this Wu!?"

Their shouts echoed off the chamber walls as Wu held his hand up to silence them, his eyes narrowed. Wu turned his back to Tai and addressed them, holding his hands up to placate them. "This boy is another example of the Royal Family's perversion of our great nation's values. Join me and-"

Beyond the chamber, more flames were being exchanged as voices shouted in alarm, mixed with the rumbling of disturbed sky bison. The gathered lords and ladies glanced at each other, their faces pale and contorted in anger as they pointed at the boy. "The Firelord must have sent him!"

Wu was silent as he glanced into the strange well, his face lit up in a ghostly light before turning around and moving past Tai. "Everyone calm down. I will deal with the boy myself."

The two soldiers glanced at each other, before reluctantly releasing their grip on Tai's shoulders. He dropped to the ground, on his hands and knees as he regained his breath, glaring up at Wu as the old man stopped a short distance away.

His eyes flicked to his sheath, lying on the ground nearby. "Not going to run?" he muttered in a hoarse whisper, getting to his feet and leveling a cautious stare at the old man.

"... I don't need to."

"Look out!"

Pandemonium broke out around them at the sight of a utterly massive stream of roiling flames, burning its way down the main passage into the chamber and blasting away the soldiers stationed near the door with a roar.

"Wu! Stop!" Amidst the roaring of the flames now engulfing the room, penning in most of the nobles who hadn't already ran out of the room, Tai's eyes widened at the sound of Korra's voice. The few nobles who stayed deflected the flames to the edges of the room, their bodyguards clustering around them to face the new threat.

Wu turned around at the commotion, his eyes narrowing at the sight of Korra leaping through the flames, while behind her Zuko parted them and came through, barely giving pause to the nobles running past him and Korra.

Her eyes narrowed as she advanced, lighting a flame and gritting her teeth while focusing on Wu-

"Avatar. Your honor me with your presence, but-" Wu lifted his hand, prompting Korra to dash forwards when he glanced over his shoulder and held up his hand. Korra skidded to a stop as the Yu Yan archers raised their composite bows, drawstrings hissing as they pulled them back and readied their arrows, the fire on the room's edges glinting off the sharp arrowheads. Every one of them was trained on Tai.

"I wouldn't be so hasty."

Wu's eyes narrowed at the sight of Zuko. His eyes flashed as flames whirled around his arms. Then he smirked.

Before Tai could react the old man whipped around, pulling his arms back and roaring with unmatched fury in his golden eyes as twin streams of golden flames blasted out from his extended palms, packed into a spiraling mass sent hurtling towards the boy.

Instinct took over as he stumbled backwards, projecting a shoddy shield of wind to deflect the flames. They were too strong and he was launched off his feet. His hand shot out and he grabbed onto the sagging rope suspended over the glowing well.

His eyes flicked downwards to catch a view of a softly glowing pool of still water, surrounded by hexagonal ice columns and blocks. They flicked back up to catch Wu shooting small flames at either side of the rope. A yell tore out of him as the flames burned through the rope, dropping him into the dark depths of the huge chamber below.

He caught snippets of massive flames being exchanged in the room above as whispers invaded his head, growing in strength the closer he got to hitting the surface of the pristine water.

Tai screwed his eyes shut as his head pounded, opening them to see Korra diving towards him, trying to grab him.

He reached his hand out to her until his back slammed into the crystal clear water, the whispers growing into shouts.

The boy sunk into the depths, going down, fighting for every breath as pair of sickly golden lights called to him in the dark depths.

"No!"

* * *

_Chieftain's Palace, Northern Water Tribe._

Bolin clasped his hands together, taking deep breaths in and out in hopes that would make him actually stomach the idea that he could actually change the Chief of the Water Tribe's mind. He had gotten lost at first in the maze of halls, shrines and infinite fountains contained within the palace grounds, and remembered he actually had no idea where Unalaq usually spent his time.

So he came back to the first room he remembered. And now stared at the icy doors, resisting the urge to gulp. Shaking his hands out he prepared to lay them on the door.

"Bolin!"

Hairs stuck up on the back of his neck as Sensha's voice bounced all over the icy walls. He yelped in surprise as she came barreling down the spacious, her feet echoing on the smooth stone floors. She skidded to a stop, a apologetic look on her for a second before she grimaced and turned to the door. "Desna told me that-"

She stopped at the frown on his face. Sensha turned to him. "Eska told me while we were-." Bolin fell quiet as his cheeks colored, looking at the floor. Sensha froze for a few seconds, before getting over herself and nodding.

He furrowed his eyebrows as he looked back up and at the door, squaring his shoulders. "We've got to talk to him."

Sensha hesitated for only a second before giving a firm nod. "Right behind you."

He gave her a shaky thumbs up and a grin, before taking a deep breath and pushing the doors open. A voice in the back of his head kept asking why he didn't knock first, before he stuffed it down at the sight of Unalaq standing in the middle of the room with Desna.

Unalaq arched a eyebrow, giving his silent son a cold look as the two of them walked in. Desna bowed his head. "Leave us. I must talk with our guests."

The prince glanced up at his father with a stricken look, his icy eyes flicking to Bolin and Sensha before he bowed his head. "Of course, father."

Sensha's face fell as she watched him walk past, her eyes on the floor as she realized what she had done. The doors closed behind them as Unalaq turned his back to them, shoulders held tightly.

As Unalaq looked between them, he clasped his hands behind his back, his expression hardened as ice. "I suppose it's only natural for my children to have... confided... in the two of you. They consider you close friends."

He looked to the side, furrowing his eyebrows before looking back at them. "I don't make this decision lightly."

"Chief Unalaq." Bolin took a step forward, remembering the terror he felt facing the Dark Spirits in the blizzard, knowing he wouldn't have lasted a minute if Korra wasn't there. "I've seen those things up close! They're nasty business, and..." His words faltered for a moment, before he shook his head. "... You're putting Eska in danger if you do this!"

"I am the Chief. And she is my daughter. She knows her duty." Unalaq's eyes narrowed. "You think I'm unaware of the danger the dark spirits pose to humans? I've studied the spirits all my life to ensure that we don't repeat our mistakes. This is the only course of action I can take without my niece's assistance while she's-" He waved his hand dismissively. "...gallivanting around the Fire Nation." He squared his shoulders and held his chin high. "When I stop them here, the world will thank the Water Tribe."

His words hanged in the air, leaving it almost impossible for Bolin to even think of, let alone say, something that could even hope to convince him other wise. Still, he had to try. "Look, Chief Unalaq, at least let me and Sensha come along to-"

"You may have helped my family in the past, Earthbender, and I thank you for it, but this is a internal Water Tribe matter." The sharpness of his tone stopped Bolin cold again. At the look of outrage on Sensha Unalaq turned to her. "And your services were only required while my family stayed in Republic City."

Stricken into silence, Sensha dropped her gaze, still holding a defiant edge while Bolin glared up at Unalaq. The stoic Northerner closed his eyes for a few moments, before opening them and making his way towards the open doorway. He stopped to address them. "The both of you are guests of my hospitality. As such you will respect the customs of my tribe and will not interfere with the ceremony."

Lingering only for a second, Unalaq left the room and them. Total silence dominated as their thoughts struggled to process.

Sensha sat on the couch and slumped forward. "So that's it?"

Immediately Bolin shook his head. "No way. We still gotta do something... I've got a plan!" He stood up and stroked his chin for a few moments before sighing and hanging his head. "We need Boto to make it work, and he's-"

The sounds of boots echoed into the room from the hallway, and as Boto and Sensha looked up a pair of guards came in, standing on either side of the doorway while clutching onto polearms.

Bolin shared a glance with Sensha. "Oh great." she muttered.

* * *

Korra jogged the rest of the way to where Zuko had his hand on a tree trunk, looking into the dark reaches of the tropical forest. He peered over his shoulder and nodded his thanks as she handed the robes back to him.

"Let's get going." Shrugging on his robes, he flipped the hood up, keeping his face in shadows as he led the way into the trees. Korra followed, getting the idea to light a flame in her hand to match some of the others lighting up parts of the dim forest in the distance.

Zuko hummed in agreement. "Hopefully they'll think we're just another patrol."

Suddenly the voices of men echoed through the forest from various sources, making both of them stop in their tracks. She glanced at Zuko. He grimaced. "They must have discovered him. We need to be move, carefully-"

A shiver went down her spine for a moment before she suppressed it, shaking her head and breaking into a sprint, ignoring Zuko's warning and bashing past leaves, ducking under branches and crushing many plants underfoot.

Soon she approached a small path winding through with trees on either side. She went to cross over when she saw a flame coming her way, lighting up the bodies of the trees nearby. She quickly ducked behind it, pressing her back against the bark and drawing out a small stream of water as she counted their steps.

As soon as they approached near the tree, she took a deep breath and whipped around it, her hand outstretched with a flame ready and her other prepping a huge ribbon of water to throw at-

"Avatar Korra?"

She stumbled for balance as she skidded to a halt at the sight of three firebenders, all of them dressed in crimson robes with huge conical hats on their heads. Each of them wore a blazing red gem on their chest, holding together the mantles over their shoulders.

One of them, the youngest by the looks of him, gingerly took a step forward, his hand raised a little just in case. "I never thought I'd get to meet you in person."

Her eyes flicked in between them. "Where's my friend? Did you see him?"

They looked at each other. The oldest of them placed a hand on the youngest's shoulder and stepped forward. "My name is Karu, Avatar. And I'm afraid we have not."

Zuko finally caught up, bursting out of the trees with a strained look on him. The old man leaned forward, catching his breath as the three Fire Sage immediately stiffened and bowed. "Zuko?"

Seeing this he straightened immediately and clasped his hands, bowing to them in turn. "Another time, my friends. This is urgent. We need to get inside the temple."

"It's gonna be tough with all of those soldiers around. And Wu has barred any of us from entering while he meets with the nobles." Jia answered first.

"Wait." Korra looked between them, her curiosity overriding her urgency for a moment. "Does the Firelord know about this?"

The young man frowned before one of the other sages stepped forward. The strong woman scowled and shook her head. "It's his place to have done so. But I doubt he has." She said, before the oldest of them sighed and shook his head.

"And this is the last straw." Korra glanced at the oldest of the three as he narrowed his eyes. "Wu has been dragging the Fire Sages into politics long enough." She felt as if he saw right through her for a moment before turning to Zuko. "We will help you find your friend."

"There's still the problem of all those soldiers at the old temple." The youngest sage pointed out.

"I can fight my way through them, no problem-"

"No, Korra." She stopped and looked at Zuko with a incredulous look.

"But, we need to get there now or-"

"A old of friend of mine can get us in there without a fight." Zuko turned away from her to the three Fire Sages. "We'll see the Shaman."

"Of course, Zuko."

"Where is she?"

"On the other side of the island. We'll have to go right through the thickest part of the jungle and that'll take a while."

Their words lost themselves on Korra's ears as she stared into the depths of the trees, finding it hard to just stand there and talk when they should be doing something. She glanced at them, only to find that Zuko was still talking with them, going over details of a plan.

Several minutes passed. They still talked. And she needed to make a decision.

With a drawn out growl she lit a flame in her hand, startling the youngest sage. "There's no time for that, I'm going _now_."

"Korra!"

But she was already gone, sprinting through the forest, weaving around the bushes in her way, going as fast as she could through the dark surroundings. She hopped over the back of a boarcupine nuzzling the grass, leaving its surprised squeal behind as her vision bobbed up and down, her own breathing growing heavy in her ears.

Korra concentrated, catching sight of a hefty stone building, low to the ground, through the trees ahead as they dramatically thinned out. She wheeled to the side as she heard voices coming from its depths, finally breaking out of the forest and onto flat grassy ground near the back wall of the building.

Pressing her back against the stones she sidled up to the corner, peering around it only to blink in surprise at the groups of shaggy white sky bison, dozens of them, grazing in the field ahead.

Arching a eyebrow she crept forward, following the wall only to stop when some of them raised their heads to look at her. Most of them went back to eating the grass and she continued, measuring her breathing and closing her eyes.

Opening them, she nodded.

Breaking out in a sprint her boots thudded down on the grass, her eyes focused solely on the stone building ahead, she peered over her shoulder at the building she had just left behind, seeing a group of soldiers running out in full gear, flames in their hands as they pointed at her and grabbed handhelds on their belts.

She cursed under her breath, ignoring them as she took a deep breath, pointing her arms downards. The earth at her feet vaulted upwards and shunted her into the air to the startled bleats and grumbles of the herd. Fireballs flew around her, some of them nearly scoring a hit as she aimed behind her and pushed violently at the air, propelling herself towards the stone platform the main temple stood on to the alarm of the soldiers.

Her eyes widened at the wall of fire rushing up towards her in response, already too close for her to dodge or deflect, but it suddenly swirled to the side as one large stream then upwards as a blazing column, the heat making her sweat just as she landed on the ground, tucking into a roll to dodge a soldier's polearm.

She snapped her arm upwards with a grunt, catching the offending soldier on the bottom of the helmet and sending him crashing back into his comrades. Breathing heavily she danced backwards, fists up and ready as more soldiers ran in from every direction, the majority collecting at the stone entry way.

"Out of my way." Korra growled, counting at least fifteen.

One of them stepped forward. "No-one gets in. Not even the Avatar." The man narrowed his eyes as he looked somewhere past her. Korra kept her eyes on him, only to glance in surprise at Zuko as he stopped at her side.

"If you respect the Avatar and your Fire Lord, you will honor yourselves by letting us through!" he shouted, causing some mutters and unsure whispers among the soldiers in front of the door.

The captain furrowed his eyebrows. "You're not the Fire Lord anymore, old man. We don't take orders from you-"

Korra's eyes flashed golden as she loosed a frustrated growl, stepping forward and pointing her hand at them. Flames wreathed her entire arm, gathering in a bulbous mass around her hand. She narrowed her eyes and let them loose, and the soldiers scattered before the column reached them.

She stalked forwards, the golden hue draining from her eyes. Breathing heavily she watched them run off, before glancing at Zuko.

He had a disapproving look on him, but didn't press the issue with her. Korra grimaced but continued forwards, running into the passage through the haze.

Her eyes flashed and she growled as she neared the end. Her running feet echoed on the stone walls as she burst out through the flames obscuring the entrance to the room, skidding to a stop to the shock of the people in the room.

She growled and raised her arm. "Wu! Stop!"

Her voice echoed as Wu slowly turned to her.

Just as Zuko came into the room behind her, she began to stalk forward with one purpose, lighting a flame in the palm of her hand and raising it towards Wu.

"Avatar. Your honor me with your presence, but-"

Before her eyes several of the soldiers surrounding Tai raised their bows, drawing them back with their loaded arrows pointed straight at Tai from every direction. She stiffened, and finally stopped in her tracks.

"I wouldn't be so hasty."

The smirk on Wu made her blood boil.

Korra took her eyes off the old man just for a second, glancing at Zuko before turning them towards Tai. She gave a nod to him, before catching sight of a whirlwind of sparks snapping into existence around Wu's arm as he lifted it up.

Quick as a snake he turned, loosing twin streams of golden fire spiralling together, slamming into Tai and consuming him. She gasped and ran forwards, ignoring Wu completely as Zuko shouted a warning from behind.

The Yu Yan archers loosed their arrows at her in one barrage, barely registering on her mind as she threw her arms up and pushed out a wave of violent wind in their directions, scooping all of them up and slamming them into the walls with several echoing thuds.

The flames left the well behind, revealing Tai hanging onto the sagging rope strung up over the well. Inwardly she cheered, only for two small wisps of flame to shoot from nowhere and cut through the rope.

Korra froze, watching as he tumbled down before springing back into action.

She glanced behind to catch sight of Wu blasting another firestorm, covering the room in fire before running into a nearby passage and disappearing from sight. Zuko strained to stop them from collapsing inwards, gritting his teeth and giving her a nod.

Her eyes landed on the strange glowing hole only for a moment as she dived down it, the tight space around her quickly giving way to a vast underground chamber. Korra had her eyes on Tai the entire time, keeping track of him as he fell towards the still surface of a pool of water.

Extending her arm, he did the same, her fingertips brushing against his for a second before the icy reaches of the water claimed him completely.

"No!" Korra quickly took a breath and closed her mouth on instinct, icy pain lancing through her body as she crashed through the surface and into the inky depths. She ignored the stinging in her eyes as she swam down with powerful strokes, thoughts tumbling over themselves as she lost sight of him in the pitch black water.

Panic went through her as she dived down, her mouth flying open in response to the burning consuming her lungs, making her flail about in the cold abyss. Her thoughts slowed as icy fingers gripped them, as pins and needles broke out across her body. She choked and screamed in silence as water filled her, scattering her thoughts, slowing her movements with frightening slowness.

A strong and clear voice broke through the mire.

_Let me guide you._

Korra's eyes flashed gold. And she stilled herself.

* * *

_Northern Water Tribe._

Boto breathed out a cold breath of air, opening his eyes and rolling his shoulders as he straightened, slowly pulling his arms back. A sphere of still water hung in the frozen air before him over the canal's surface. looking like a spiritual apparition the way it skimmed just above the fine mist clinging to the water.

Moving his arms in long graceful arcs he brought it back to him, staring into its clear depths and finding his doubts and concerns draining away, making way for complete calm and clarity.

He loosed a sigh, once again having Sifu Katara to thank for her waterbending lessons. He deliberately picked the ball apart with precision, making pinching movements and guiding thin streams of water, shining with the full moon's light back into his hip flasks. After all of the water had flowed back in, he bent down and screwed on the sharktooth caps, moving to pick up his heavy winter coat and shirt from where he had discarded them.

Total silence filled the night as he moved away from the canal through a shadowed alley, coming out onto one of the capital's streets, running straight in a elegant line from the edge of the district towards the next, the pattern repeating itself throughout the contained sprawl of the icy city.

Glancing to each side, he set his sights on the palace tower in the distance, walking along the footpath, completely alone.

Soon enough he felt a shiver go up his bare back from the wind carrying the cold air, spurring him to quicken the pace and look straight ahead. When he got back, he'd be sure to ask Sensha if she could warm him up with some firebending.

Above him, several dark shapes flew through the air, blocking out some of the stars. He stopped at the sight with a frown, just as a tingling sensation sent his skin crawling.

Boto's eyes widened at a familiar, and unwanted touch. His muscles thrashed around as he loosed a drawn-out groan, his blood shifting and pooling unnaturally in places they didn't belong. His head started to pound and his vision swam as the iron vice over his body strengthened, barely registering footsteps in the snow over the pounding in his ears.

Being lifted into the air he was turned around in place, facing the other side of the street before being thrown face-first into the hard-packed snow of the road. His thoughts tumbled, and he tried to recollect them as he turned himself over, only to feel invisible clamps over his muscles again, starting to writhe as the pain intensified.

"Let him stand, junior."

Gasping for breath, Boto shivered, shakily getting to his feet, swaying as he fought the spasms all over his body. Grinding his teeth he managed to focus on three figures watching him, coming out of the shadows into the moonlight.

One of them smiled a shark-like grin. "R-rorik." Boto managed to say, hugging his sides and groaning as he fell to his knees in the snow.

"Hello, Boto. Nice to see you after that little jaunt in the ship."

He narrowed his eyes at the bloodbender, noticing Tonrik and Pendra as well.

Tonrik's grin matched his fathers. "This is the first time I've been to the North. Makes a nice change from the dingy little South you love so much."

Blinking his blurred vision away, Boto slowly stood up, carefully keeping his eye on them as he readied himself.

"Spoiling for a fight are ya? You may want to reconsider, kiddo..." Before his eyes the air wavered over Rorik's head, and two dark shapes blurred into existence. They snapped at each other for a few seconds, before Rorik wiggled his fingers, making the two of them focus their burning vision on him.

"Those are-"

"Oh, well done. Your eyesight is impressive." The twin dark spirits hissed as they twisted through the air, opening their maws as they neared him. Boto gritted his teeth, backing away a step.

"How are you bloodbending them?"

"Now, Boto, that's a misnomer. Spirits aren't flesh and blood like you and me, why, how could I ever do the impossible?"

In a flash Boto's eyes fell on the canister of silvery liquid strung around Rorik's neck, nestled among the white furs of his greatcoat. "See, Unalaq can use his waterbending to calm these spirits down, takes some real skill and know-how. I on the other hand? I prefer to a bit of tough love!"

"Whatever you're planning I'll stop you." He growled in response, ignoring the two dark spirits renewing their hisses.

"Beats me how you're going to do that. You don't even have a shirt on! Now, we'll stick around for a bit, make sure you're down and out, and be on our merry way to meet the ol' chief and his lovely automaton children. And I'll bring these lovely little guys and some of their friends as well. They'll love it when I open up that frozen hunk of ice!"

The two spirits hissed as they slowly retreated. Boto took a step forward, making water whips and moving to swing them at Rorik when Pendra grinned and flexed her fingers, stopping him cold and throwing him to the ground again. He grunted, trying to rise despite the bloodbending. "Unalaq will stop. He's a powerful waterbender."

Rorik stopped in his tracks. "Mr spiritual himself isn't so above it all, kid. Look at what he did to his own brother, just for a example, hmm?"

Despite the spasms he managed to focus a thought on what Rorik said. "Wh- what?"

Rorik grinned again, turning towards him and squatting over him. "Oh, it'll spoil so much if I say it right now, so I will, but big buff Tonraq was first in line for being the big cheese before thin scrawny Unalaq. Honestly I preferred him as head honcho over gaunt-face."

Boto slowly shook his head, refusing to believe such a lie about the Chief of the Water Tribe.

"Now that I've left you with that bombshell, we have a big trek ahead of us. So long." Rorik patted his cheek before releasing his grip on Boto's chin, letting the tall waterbender's face fall back into the snow and standing back up, staring at the sky as more dark shapes appeared out of the air.

Boto's vision fluttered as a groan escaped his lips. He lifted up his hand, growling as he felt the urge to close his fist and bloodbend every single organ in the escaping Monsoon's bodies. But he stopped himself at the last second, his strength left him, and his eyes closed.

A minute later, muffled footsteps came closer.

* * *

A single name floated in Korra's thoughts, slipping back down as she surfaced.

Korra's head broke the water, her thoughts sluggish as the girl slumped backwards, vaguely feeling a tug as something gently pulled her along. Slowly she opened her eyes, blinking and moaning. Her hair clinged to her shoulders in straggly wet strands, obscuring her vision as well as it started to clear a little.

A cold splash and the shock jolted her awake with a gasp. Breathing heavily she tried to gulp in as much air as possible, before stopping herself when she noticed the shining sun overhead and the calm water she floated in, making gentle waves with her treading.

Immediately she stared down into the surface of the water, catching a view of her battered features and also something else, something green and big. And curious. Korra felt her eyes close again.

She felt herself being dragged out of the water and onto dry land.

"Hello."

As her thoughts started to come back, she looked upwards into a featureless white face with a black mouth and black eyes on top of a rotund green body with leaves on top of its 'head'. It leaned down, a curious look on it.

"You look familiar." It said with a child's voice.

She yelped, bolting upright and breathing heavily as she looked around at the rolling hills and lush fields of green, where trees with fan-shaped canopies stood on.

Korra drew a sharp intake of breath to calm her hearbeat, glancing back at the green spirit. "Oh." Immediately she scratched the back of her neck. "I'm sorry for... getting spooked."

The green spirit brightened and nodded eagerly. "It's okay." It waddled back from the bank, allowing her to clamber up out of the water. Wonder filled her when she realized it wasn't the only one around.

A whole crowd of spirits stood around the pool of water, slowly approaching with curious expressions. Some of them were the weirdest things she had ever seen, being strange almost animal-shaped things, tiny little creatures buzzing around, or wisp-like puffs of smoke or gas.

One of them, a huge carrot with big dropping eyes, lumbered out of the crowd, towering over her in silence. Korra suppressed a gulp as she slowly got to her feet, barely reaching up to where it's face sat. "Uh, hello."

The carrot spirit blinked, not moving as the leaves on top of its head shifted about. Korra watched as a tiny little turnip plant hopped out, carrying a cup of tea in its grasp. It peered down at her for a few seconds before chirping, offering the tea cup.

Korra gave a unsure nod, glancing at the unblinking carrot spirit before reaching to grab the tea cup from the little spirit. She stared at the warm reddish brew in it, having a few experimental sniffs before raising to her mouth.

She didn't know what was in the tea but it immediately rejuvenated her sore muscles and battered body, clearing her thoughts as well. Korra brightened up and grinned at the little spirit, nodding her thanks.

Her thoughts clear, she remembered reaching after him as he sank away. With a frown she clasped her hands together and bowed to the little spirit and the carrot, before looking out at the rest of them. "Have any of you seen another human? I-"

"Oh no, you are not giving it tea!"

The crowd of spirits shifted apart for one of the spirits. It sniffed at the air, waving a clawed hand in front of its nose as it narrowed its golden eyes at her, stalking forwards on two legs.

It pushed it's face up against hers, poking a spindly finger into her chest. "Ah! What are you doing in our oasis, human!? Get out! Out! Out! Out!"

"Look, I need your help, a friend of mine, he-"

"Another one!?"

Another one approached behind the giant Aye Aye, a faintly glowing chubby cream-colored spirit, with brown and yellow eyes. It looked her over for a few seconds, before waving. "I think we know her, Aye Aye."

"Nope. No we don't!" It folded its arms and looked away, quickly glancing back and taking a few whiffs before shaking its head stubbornly. "It's stinking up the water just by being here! Gah!"

Despite knowing what she was addressing, she still growled, losing her patience. "I don't have time for this, a friend of mine is lost here someplace and I need to know where!"

The Aye Aye chuckled and wiggled its fingers. "Oh no, you're not going anywhere until I'm through with-"

The blue sky rumbled deep and low, silencing the Aye Aye. It glanced upwards, flattening its long ears, and Korra did the same.

A gargantuan mass of shifting darkness roiled its way through the sky, darkening the area with it's very passage and casting a shadow over the vibrant hills and fields below. Her skin crawled as she picked out hundreds of sickly glowing pairs of eyes, all of them focusing on her in that very instant.

Inside her a voice whispered calming things to her.

Slowly the undulating mass of darkness left the area.

"Dark Spirits. Hundreds of them." Korra whispered, her face pale.

"Eugh. I hate those things. Always flitting around that old centipede's tree."

"Wait, what did you say? You mean Koh the Facestealer?"

Instead of hearing Aye Aye's answer, the same voice from before rang in her thoughts.

_We must go, Korra. Before it's too late. Follow the Dark Spirits._

She took off at a run to the Aye Aye's frustrated shouts.

"Where are you going, human? This isn't your world!"

* * *

火


End file.
